Encrypted EHR Storage via Metadata Tree and Key Hierarchy
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Solution Overview
Problem
The sharing of electronic health records (EHRs) among healthcare participants is complex and burdensome due to technical and legal issues, particularly in ensuring consistency, privacy, and security, especially for those lacking resources and expertise.
Innovation Solution
An electronic health record storage processing environment that uses an encrypted data store with a metadata tree for secure storage and access, where each EHR is uniquely encrypted with a patient key, provider key, and location, allowing seamless sharing among healthcare participants while maintaining privacy and security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If EHRs are shared among healthcare participants, then access to health information is improved, but privacy and security risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments EHR data into multiple encrypted partitions, each accessible only to authorized healthcare participants through unique decryption keys. This allows selective access to specific portions of health records while maintaining overall data security and privacy protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary encryption system that mediates between data storage and access. Encryption keys act as intermediaries, controlling and regulating access to EHR data without requiring direct exposure of the underlying sensitive information, thus securing privacy while enabling authorized sharing.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If EHRs are encrypted for security, then privacy is protected, but access complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary encryption of EHR data before storage, with decryption keys pre-configured for authorized participants. This preliminary action ensures privacy protection is built-in from the start, while the key management system is prepared in advance to simplify the access process for authorized users.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates encrypted copies of EHR data that can be securely shared with multiple healthcare participants without exposing the original unencrypted data. These encrypted copies maintain data integrity and security while enabling widespread access to authorized personnel.
3Reliability
If multiple encryption keys are used for each EHR, then security is enhanced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal key management system where a single patient-controlled master key can derive multiple access keys for different healthcare participants. This multi-functional approach enhances security through multiple encryption layers while simplifying the system by allowing one master key to manage all access permissions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a hierarchical dimension to key management, with a top-level patient master key that can generate and control multiple participant-specific keys. This dimensional approach to key organization enhances security through layered encryption while simplifying management through the hierarchical structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A method performed by a processing system includes determining a location in a metadata tree of a patient for an electronic health record, generating a record key for the electronic health record based on the location and a provider key corresponding to a provider, the provider key generated from a patient key corresponding to the patient, encrypting the electronic health record using the record key to generate a encrypted record, and providing the encrypted record to an encrypted data store.