System Development Dataset Preparation

1 . A method for preparation of a data set for electronic health system development, the method comprising:

transferring, by at least one processor, a patient data set of at least one electronic transaction in an electronic health system operating in a secure environment, the patient data set comprising confidential data of at least one patient;

saving the patient data set of the electronic transaction in the secure environment;

identifying the confidential data of the saved patient data set;

replacing the identified confidential data with replacement non-confidential data in a representative transaction data set; and

saving the representative transaction data set with other representative transaction data sets representing transactions occurring in the electronic health system over a period of time, wherein the representative transaction data set is stored such that any access of the representative transaction data set will not provide access to the confidential data.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the confidential information comprises a patient age, a patient geographic location, a healthcare facility in which treatment is provided, dates of patient treatment, a patient birthdate, patient contact information, or patient identification information.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the replacement non-confidential data is different data of a same data type as the confidential data being replaced by the non-confidential data.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the non-confidential data comprises at least one text character designated as indicating a context of the confidential data being replaced.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the confidential data comprises date data involving information indicating a specific day, month, and year for the date, and the replacement non-confidential data comprises information indicating a same year but information indicating a different day and a different month.

6 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the confidential data comprises an indicator of an age of a patient greater than a threshold age, and the replacement non-confidential data comprises an indicator of an age less than the threshold age but in a same age range as the age of the patient.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the threshold age is 89 years old and the replacement non-confidential data comprises an indicator that the patient is 88 years old.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein replacing the confidential data with replacement non-confidential data in a representative transaction data set is recorded as an activity in a log.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

communicating the representative transaction data set to an unsecure environment.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the confidential information is not presented to a user during the identifying or replacing.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

repeating the secure electronic transaction using the representative transaction data set.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one electronic transaction comprises a plurality of transactions carried out in a batch processing environment.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the other representative transaction data sets representing transactions comprise replacement non-confidential data involving at least one text character designated as indicating a specific transaction being represented by individual representative transaction data sets of the other representative transaction data sets.

14 . A system for preparation of a data set for electronic health system development, the system comprising:

at least one memory operable to store a data sets such as a patient data set comprising confidential data of at least one patient and a representative transaction data set; and

a processor configured to cause the system to:

receive the patient data set used in an electronic transaction in the electronic health system operating in a secure environment;

identify the confidential data of the saved patient data set;

replace the identified confidential data with replacement non-confidential data in a representative transaction data set; and

output the representative transaction data set to the at least one memory.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the confidential information comprises a patient age, a patient geographic location, a healthcare facility in which treatment is provided, dates of patient treatment, a patient birthdate, patient contact information, or patient identification information.

16 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the replacement non-confidential data is different data of a same data type as the confidential data being replaced by the non-confidential data.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the non-confidential data comprises at least one text character designated as indicating a context of the confidential data being replaced.

18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the confidential data comprises date data involving information indicating a specific day, month, and year for the date, and the replacement non-confidential data comprises information indicating a same year but information indicating a different day and a different month.

19 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the confidential data comprises an indicator of an age of a patient greater than a threshold age, and the replacement non-confidential data comprises an indicator of an age less than the threshold age but in a same age range as the age of the patient.

20 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the processor is further configured to cause the system to repeat the secure electronic transaction using the representative transaction data set.

21 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored therein data representing instructions executable by a programmed processor for preparation of a data set for electronic health system development, the storage medium comprising instructions for:

processing a patient data set in the electronic health system operating in a secure environment, the patient data set comprising confidential data of at least one patient;

identifying the confidential data of the processed patient data set;

replacing the identified confidential data with replacement non-confidential data of a same data type as the identified confidential data in a representative data set; and

saving the representative data set such that any access of the representative data set will not indicate the confidential data.

22 . The medium of claim 21 , wherein the confidential information comprises a patient age, a patient geographic location, a healthcare facility in which treatment is provided, dates of patient treatment, a patient birthdate, patient contact information, or patient identification information.

23 . The medium of claim 21 , wherein the non-confidential data comprises at least one text character designated as indicating a context of the confidential data being replaced.

24 . The medium of claim 21 , wherein the confidential data comprises date data involving information indicating a specific day, month, and year for the date, and the replacement non-confidential data comprises information indicating a same year but information indicating a different day and a different month.

25 . The medium of claim 21 , wherein the confidential data comprises an indicator of an age of a patient greater than a threshold age, and the replacement non-confidential data comprises an indicator of an age less than the threshold age but in a same age range as the age of the patient.

26 . The medium of claim 21 , wherein a user is restricted from accessing the confidential information during the identifying and replacing.