Utilization review de-identification is the removal of the 18 HIPAA Safe Harbor IDs (45 CFR §164.514(b)) from a UM record. anonym.plus runs on your device. The decision data stays clear, but the page no longer names the person.
When this applies
A UM record names the patient, logs the admission, and gives an approval decision. To study length-of-stay trends or train reviewers, clear those IDs first.
How anonym.plus handles it
- Open the record in anonym.plus on your device.
- Local OCR reads any scanned worksheet too.
- The tool flags patient names, dates, and ID numbers.
- Shift the admit and exit dates while you keep the day count.
- Replace each ID with a steady alias, or redact it.
- Save the clean copy on your machine.
What you need to provide
- The UM record (PDF, DOCX, or export).
- A date-shift option to keep length-of-stay math.
- An operator to suit the later use.
PHI entity types detected
| Category | anonym.plus entity type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Names | PERSON | Patient G. Maes → [PATIENT] |
| Member ID | US_HEALTH_PLAN_BENEFICIARY | Mbr 12-4471 → [MEMBER_ID] |
| Dates | DATE_TIME | Admit/discharge → shifted [DATE] |
| Record IDs | MEDICAL_RECORD_NUMBER | MRN 220914 → [MRN] |
| Provider | PERSON | Reviewer Dr. Pohl → [REVIEWER] |
| Phone | PHONE_NUMBER | UM line 555-6620 → [PHONE] |
Compliance achieved
- Strips all 18 ID classes for HIPAA Safe Harbor (45 CFR §164.514(b)).
- Date-shift keeps length-of-stay gaps for analysis.
- Fully offline — no BAA for the tool.
- On-device AES-256-GCM guards the working copies.
Anonymize utilization review records offline — see plans & start free →
Limitations & cautions
Date-shift keeps the day count but breaks links to outside logs unless you shift those by the same offset. A rare length of stay tied to a small site can re-identify even after IDs go.
Frequently asked questions
How does date-shift keep the record useful?
Each record's dates move by one steady offset. The days between admit and discharge hold, so length-of-stay study works while the real dates hide.
Does the approval decision stay?
Yes. The decision and the reason stay. Only the IDs change, so the record still serves study.
Can a scanned worksheet be cleaned?
Yes. Local OCR reads scanned pages, so IDs in image files are caught.