Patient Recruitment System With Outbound Data Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current patient recruitment systems for clinical studies face challenges in ensuring secure data transmission and protection, particularly in preventing unauthorized access and maintaining data integrity during the transfer of sensitive patient information.
Innovation Solution
A patient recruitment system with a database environment and a patient recruitment server, where data transfer is restricted to outbound connections from the database environment, utilizing an anonymization module to remove identifying features, an identifier module to calculate unique anonymized identifiers, and an encryption module to enhance data security, ensuring secure and transparent data transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If data transfer is enabled between database environment and patient recruitment server, then patient recruitment functionality is achieved, but data security and protection are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a data transport unit as an intermediary component between the database environment and patient recruitment server. This mediator enables controlled data exchange while maintaining security boundaries, allowing patient recruitment functionality to operate without direct exposure of the database environment to external access risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The system architecture is segmented into distinct functional components: the database environment, the data transport unit with restriction module, and the patient recruitment server. This segmentation isolates the sensitive database from direct external access while enabling controlled data flow for recruitment purposes, resolving the contradiction between functionality and security.
2Ease of operation
If inbound ports are opened on data transport unit for bidirectional communication, then server can initiate connections, but unauthorized access and hacking risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of allowing inbound connections to the database environment (traditional client-server model), the patent inverts the connection initiation direction: the database environment initiates outbound connections to the recruitment server. This reversal maintains communication functionality while eliminating the security vulnerability of exposed inbound ports.
Solution Approach 2:
The restriction module extracts and removes the vulnerable inbound listening functionality from the data transport unit at the database environment end. By taking out the inbound port capability, the system eliminates the hacking risk while preserving essential outbound communication needs through the anonymization and identifier modules.
3Measurement precision
If patient data is transmitted in identifiable form, then recruitment accuracy is improved, but data protection and patient privacy are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anonymization action to patient data before transmission to the recruitment server. The anonymization module removes personally identifiable information in advance, and the identifier module generates pseudonymous identifiers that enable accurate recruitment matching without exposing patient privacy during the recruitment process.
Data Source
AI summary
A patient recruitment system, in particular for clinical studies, has at least one database environment comprising at least one database module that is configured at least to store in a patient database at least patient data records containing at least one course of treatment of at least one patient, has at least one patient recruitment server comprising at least one patient recruitment module that is configured to search and at least compare with at least one recruitment feature, data records, in particular courses of treatment, and has a data transport unit for a data transfer, in particular of at least one course of treatment, between the database environment and the patient recruitment server, the data transport unit comprises a restriction module, which restricts the data transfer to outbound connections originating from the database environment.