Prescription de-identification is the removal of the 18 HIPAA Safe Harbor IDs (45 CFR §164.514(b)) from an electronic script. anonym.plus runs offline and keeps the drug, dose, and directions that pharmacy work relies on.
When this applies
An e-script names the patient and the prescriber and carries an ID and a pharmacy address. For prescribing-pattern studies, those tags must come off.
How anonym.plus handles it
- Open the script in anonym.plus on your device.
- It finds patient, doctor, and pharmacy IDs.
- Drug name, dose, and directions stay in place.
- Swap each ID for a clear label, or hide it.
- Save the clean script on your device.
What you need to provide
- The script (PDF, DOCX, or NCPDP/structured export).
- An operator: Replace keeps the directions readable.
- Optional role map for [PATIENT] and [PRESCRIBER].
PHI entity types detected
| Category | anonym.plus entity type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Names | PERSON | patient name → [PATIENT] |
| Names | PERSON | Dr. Haines → [PRESCRIBER] |
| Identifiers | ID | DEA number → [PRESCRIBER_ID] |
| Dates | DATE_TIME | written 6/05 → [DATE] |
| Location | LOCATION | pharmacy address → [PHARMACY] |
| Record IDs | MEDICAL_RECORD_NUMBER | Rx 552108 → [RX_ID] |
Compliance achieved
- Strips all 18 ID classes for HIPAA Safe Harbor (45 CFR §164.514(b)).
- Runs offline — no BAA for the tool.
- Working files are kept safe with AES-256-GCM.
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Limitations & cautions
A doctor's DEA number is an identifier and must go. The drug, dose, and directions stay and are not treated as IDs, but a rare drug at a small pharmacy can add to re-identification risk for the patient.
Frequently asked questions
Is the doctor's DEA number removed?
Yes. A DEA number is a unique ID, so it is flagged and swapped. Provider names can go too for blinded studies.
Do the drug and dose stay?
Yes. The drug, dose, and directions remain, so prescribing analysis runs while personal IDs are gone.
Does it read structured e-prescribing files?
Yes. NCPDP and other structured exports, plus printed PDFs, both work locally.