Federated Patient Data Analysis System with Outbound Connections

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing patient data analysis systems lack adequate data protection measures, allowing sensitive information to potentially leak and enabling unauthorized access, which compromises the security of hospital information systems.

Innovation Solution

A federated patient data analysis system with spatial and system-technical separation, using outbound connections only for data transfer, and incorporating security checks for scripts and program libraries to ensure data protection, with local execution and anonymization of patient data.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If patient data is centralized for analysis, then analysis capability is improved, but data security deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanalysis capabilityVSAvoiddata security
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides the centralized data analysis function into distributed segments across multiple hospital information systems. Each local analysis environment processes data locally without centralizing the actual patient data, thus maintaining analysis capability while improving data security through spatial and organizational distribution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary analysis environment that acts as a mediator between external users and local hospital information systems. This intermediary allows external script execution and analysis requests without direct access to patient data, securing the data while enabling versatile analysis through the intermediary layer.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If external access is enabled for script execution, then analysis versatility is improved, but system security deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanalysis versatilityVSAvoidsystem security
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary security checks on all external scripts before allowing execution. Scripts undergo validation, security scanning, and approval processes in advance, ensuring that only verified safe scripts can access the analysis environment, thus enabling versatile analysis while preventing security breaches.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

An intermediary analysis environment serves as a secure buffer between external script sources and local hospital information systems. This intermediary layer enables versatile script execution and analysis capabilities while isolating and protecting the core system from potential security threats through controlled interface mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If data is made accessible for analysis, then analytical power is improved, but data protection deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveanalytical powerVSAvoiddata protection
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments data access into controlled portions, allowing analysis environments to access only the specific data subsets required for particular analysis tasks. This selective, segmented access maintains high analytical power by enabling targeted analysis while improving data protection by limiting exposure of sensitive information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The intermediary analysis environment acts as a mediator that enables powerful analytical processing while protecting underlying patient data. It provides the analytical power needed for complex queries and scripts while maintaining data protection through its architecture that prevents direct data extraction and ensures data remains within secured hospital information systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4576105A1Privacy-preserving analysis system and analysis method for federated patient data
Publication Date: 2025.06.25 CLINERION
  • EP4576105A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4576105A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4576105A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A data protection analysis system (36) for federated patient data is provided, comprising at least a plurality of analysis environments (10, 10') that are spatially and technically separated from one another, each comprising at least one local patient analysis database (12) with a portion of the federated patient data, and each comprising at least one local analysis module (14) that is provided at least for executing scripts on the portion of the federated patient data available in the respective local patient analysis database (12), and comprising at least one, in particular centrally or distributed, external user and/or programming interface system (16), which is spatially and technically separated from the analysis environments (10, 10'), via which the scripts executable by the local analysis modules (14) can be created and/or provided, in particular externally, and which is connected to each of the analysis environments (10,10') is connected for data transfer purposes exclusively via connections originating from the analysis environments (10, 10'), in particular outbound connections.