Capacity-planning anonymization is the removal of personal data from occupancy and flow files. Once the result is truly anonymous, it leaves GDPR scope under Recital 26. anonym.plus does this on a local EU device and keeps the bed and timing detail usable.
When this applies
Flow files track each admission, the bed, and the staff on shift. To model demand or share with planners, you can anonymize them and drop the GDPR burden.
How anonym.plus handles it
- Open the file in anonym.plus on a local EU device.
- It scans patient, staff, bed, and timestamp fields.
- Turn the reversible map off so no key is kept.
- Shift the times so flow gaps and trends survive.
- Swap each person for a non-reversible label.
- Save the result. The source never leaves your machine.
What you need to provide
- The file (CSV, JSON, or EHR export).
- Replace, with the map off for full anonymity.
- A time-shift option to keep occupancy curves.
PHI entity types detected
| Category | anonym.plus entity type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Patient | PERSON | admission: O. Funke → [PATIENT_n] |
| Staff | PERSON | shift lead: RN Vidal → [STAFF_n] |
| Dates | DATE_TIME | admit 13:20 → shifted [TIME] |
| Location | LOCATION | Bed 8, Ward C → [BED] |
| Record IDs | MEDICAL_RECORD_NUMBER | encounter ID → [ENCOUNTER] |
| Staff ID | ID | login rvidal → [USERNAME] |
Compliance achieved
- True anonymity puts the file outside scope by GDPR Recital 26.
- Clears patient and staff data while bed and timing stay.
- On-device work supports EU data residency.
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Limitations & cautions
Bed and timing detail is usually safe, but a rare admission at an odd hour on a small ward can re-identify after names go. Shift the times, coarsen rare cells, and keep no key before you treat the result as anonymous.
Frequently asked questions
Is occupancy data personal data?
Each admission row names a patient and often the staff on shift, so it is personal data. The bed and timing fields are not, once names go and times shift.
Do the flow curves survive?
Yes. Shifting times by a steady offset keeps the gaps, so occupancy and demand curves still hold.
Anonymous or pseudonymous?
Keep a key and it stays in scope. Turn the key off and, with low residual risk, Recital 26 takes it out of scope.