Discharge summary de-identification is the removal of all 18 HIPAA Safe Harbor IDs (45 CFR §164.514(b)) from the file. anonym.plus does this on your own device. The text stays readable, but it no longer names the patient.
When this applies
You want to share the file, teach from it, or feed it to an analytics tool. Each use needs the data stripped of names, dates, and record numbers first.
How anonym.plus handles it
- Open the file (PDF, DOCX, or scan) in anonym.plus on your device.
- Local OCR reads scanned pages, so it catches printed text too.
- The tool flags names, dates, MRNs, addresses, and phone numbers.
- Check the flagged items and fix any clinical term caught by mistake.
- Swap each ID for a safe label, or black it out.
- Save the clean file. The original never leaves your machine.
What you need to provide
- The file (PDF, DOCX, TXT, or image scan).
- An operator: Replace (swap), Redact (remove), or Mask (partial).
- Optional: a name map if you need to re-link records later.
PHI entity types detected
| Category | anonym.plus entity type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Names | PERSON | Maria Schneider → [PATIENT_1] |
| Dates | DATE_TIME | Admitted 03/11/2026 → [DATE] |
| Record IDs | MEDICAL_RECORD_NUMBER | MRN 884213 → [MRN] |
| Contact | PHONE_NUMBER | +49 681 555 0147 → [PHONE] |
| Location | LOCATION | 12 Hauptstrasse → [ADDRESS] |
| Identifiers | US_SSN / NATIONAL_ID | 078-05-1120 → [ID] |
Compliance achieved
- Strips all 18 ID classes for HIPAA Safe Harbor (45 CFR §164.514(b)).
- Runs offline, so the tool itself needs no BAA.
- Working files are kept safe with AES-256-GCM.
- Handles GDPR Art. 9 health data for EU patients too.
Anonymize discharge summaries offline — see plans & start free →
Limitations & cautions
Safe Harbor also needs you to have no reason to think the rest could re-identify the patient. The tool removes the 18 ID types. You still judge rare free-text clues (a rare illness plus a small town). For those, use Expert Determination instead.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as a HIPAA Safe Harbor identifier?
The 18 types in 45 CFR §164.514(b). They include names, small geographic areas, all dates tied to the person, phone and fax, email, SSN, MRN, plan and account numbers, license numbers, vehicle and device IDs, URLs, IPs, biometric IDs, full-face photos, and any other unique code.
Does this need a BAA?
No. anonym.plus runs on your own device with no cloud step. No outside party touches the PHI, so the tool itself needs no BAA.
Will the file still read well after the swap?
Yes. The Replace operator puts a steady label in place of each ID, so the text still flows and no longer points to a real person.