Hybrid Cloud Configuration Capsules for HIPAA Data Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Healthcare providers face challenges in managing proprietary and sensitive data due to disruptions caused by locally maintained computing platforms, which violate customer privacy and HIPAA standards, and limit technical support and testing capabilities in cloud environments.
Innovation Solution
A split/hybrid-cloud system that processes and retains proprietary data locally while managing configuration and content centrally in the cloud, allowing healthcare providers to create and deliver configuration capsules tailored to their needs, ensuring compliance with security standards and facilitating easy version management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If healthcare providers use locally maintained computing platforms to manage customer records, then customer privacy and HIPAA compliance are improved, but system updates become disruptive and technical support is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into two distinct environments: a cloud-based platform for configuration management and updates, and a local execution environment for processing sensitive healthcare data. This segmentation allows each environment to fulfill its specific function - the cloud platform provides ease of updates and technical support while the local environment ensures HIPAA compliance and data security.
Solution Approach 2:
Configuration capsules serve as an intermediary mechanism between the cloud platform and local execution environment. These capsules package configuration data, rules, and logic that can be securely transmitted to the local environment without exposing sensitive data, enabling centralized management while maintaining local data security.
2Productivity
If healthcare providers use cloud platforms to overcome local platform disruptions, then system availability is improved, but customer privacy concerns and HIPAA compliance are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The architecture segments the system into cloud-based configuration management and local data processing. The cloud platform handles non-sensitive configuration tasks providing high availability, while the local execution environment processes sensitive healthcare data ensuring HIPAA compliance. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by assigning different functions to different environments based on their security and availability characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
Sensitive healthcare data is extracted from the cloud environment and retained exclusively in the local execution environment. Only non-sensitive configuration data, rules, and logic are transmitted to the cloud for management. This extraction ensures that proprietary and sensitive information never resides in the cloud, maintaining privacy and compliance while still leveraging cloud advantages for configuration management.
3Reliability
If healthcare providers keep proprietary data away from cloud environments, then data security is improved, but configuration management and deployment complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Configuration capsules act as an intermediary that simplifies configuration management in the hybrid environment. The cloud platform generates and manages these capsules containing configuration data, rules, and logic, which are then deployed to the local execution environment. This intermediary mechanism abstracts the complexity of hybrid configuration management, making it as simple as managing cloud-based configurations while maintaining local data security.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of managing configurations directly in the complex hybrid environment, the system creates simplified copies of configuration data packaged in configuration capsules. These capsules can be easily generated, transmitted, and deployed from the cloud platform to the local environment, reducing the perceived complexity of configuration management while maintaining the security benefits of keeping data local.
4Ease of operation
If healthcare providers use cloud-based platforms for processing, then technical support and testing capabilities are improved, but data security and customer trust are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments functions by location: cloud-based environment provides technical support and testing capabilities for non-sensitive operations, while the local execution environment handles sensitive data processing. This segmentation allows healthcare providers to leverage cloud advantages for support and testing without compromising data security or customer trust.
Solution Approach 2:
Sensitive data is extracted from the cloud environment entirely, preventing any risk to data security and customer trust. The cloud platform is used only for managing configuration data, rules, and logic - never for processing sensitive healthcare information. This extraction enables full utilization of cloud-based technical support and testing capabilities while maintaining the highest data security standards.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and apparatuses for maintaining and processing proprietary or sensitive data using an application implemented in a split/hybrid-cloud system are described. The split/hybrid system utilizes cloud and local platforms, while complying with customer security concerns and HIPAA security standards. Configuration of the application occurs in a cloud platform whereas processing of proprietary or sensitive data occurs within a customer's local computing environment. The customer may create their own unique application configuration that is stored in the cloud platform and that is delivered back to the customer as a package that includes both the unique application configuration as well as general application configuration requirements. The customer may implement the package within one or more local computing environments while managing the application from a single site that is separated from proprietary or sensitive data.