Data anonymization is the process of protecting private or individual sensitive information by either erasing or encrypting the personal identifiers that form the connection between an individual and stored data. This helps in retaining the data while keeping the source anonymous.

What Is the Need For Anonymization Of Patient Data?

• Data science including collection and analysis of patient data is of immense importance for improving healthcare. It forms the basis of healthcare research for improving drug discovery, predicting epidemics, designing advanced cures, etc.

However, the law requires healthcare researchers to keep the PHI (Personal Health Information) of people secure. So, the only way of using patient’s data for research is to get their consent beforehand. This places a limitation on the data sets as some patients may decline the consent. Data anonymization lifts certain restrictions as it removes the patient’s identifiers and renders the data anonymous. It provides healthcare researchers the ability to access extensive, coherent, and historic data that can be built upon without damaging patient trust.

• Second reason that emphasizes the importance of genuine anonymization of patient data is that patients may be reluctant to seek medical attention if they fear that their PHI may be shared with someone. Genuine anonymization helps the healthcare institutes in offering privacy assurance to their patients.
• An information leak or disclosure that an individual has tested positive for STIs such as HIV/AIDS can invite discrimination or social stigma. Anonymization of such data helps in reducing the risk of such disclosure and maintaining the privacy and confidentiality of patient data.
• Another reason for incorporating genuine anonymization of patient data in the healthcare industry is to keep the data secure from cyber criminals who may cause a data breach and negatively affect the patients.

What Data Anonymization Techniques Can Be Used?

Data Masking: Real data is hidden by altering values. For example, a mirror of a dataset may be created and the value characters may be replaced with symbols such as ‘*’ or ‘x’.

Pseudonymization: The private identifiers such as name, address, etc. are replaced with face identifiers or pseudonyms.

Generalization: Some of the identifier data is removed while retaining a measure of data accuracy. For example, removing house number from the patient’s address while retaining the road name.

Data Swapping: It is also known as shuffling or permutation. The dataset attribute values are rearranged so that they don’t correspond with original values.

Data Perturbation: The original data set is modified by adding noise to the data and rounding off the numbers such as age or house number of the patient.

Synthetic Data: An artificial data set is created instead of altering the original dataset based on patterns and statistical analysis.

For more information on the importance of genuine anonymization of patient data and methods of implementation in healthcare, call Centex Technologies at (972) 375 - 9654.

The advent of new technology has proven to be very helpful in combating diseases, especially pandemics such as COVID-19. If applied properly, technologies such as IoT, AI, and Big Data Analysis can be used to decelerate the propagation of the pandemic and avoid global health crisis in the future. Another technology that can be of immense help during a pandemic is ‘Connected Devices’.

Some applications of connected devices during a pandemic are:

• Monitoring Of Trends: Wearable devices, such as fitness bands, are widely being used for monitoring data such as activity, heart rate, sleeping patterns, etc. The data collected by these devices is continuously sensed and uploaded to the cloud. A thorough analysis of this data can help in the timely and accurate detection of trends that may be indicative of a population-level outbreak of any disease.
• Changing Patient Care Habits: A major concern during fighting a pandemic is to minimize contact with an infected carrier. Thus, isolation of patients is an important preventive action needed to control the spread of the pandemic. Connected devices such as thermometers, blood pressure monitors, glucometers, inhalers, etc. can help the patients in sending their health stats to the health care providers without the need of visiting the clinics. This reduces the risk of exposure. As these devices can be connected over a cellular network, patients can update their data from any location, regardless of the availability of WiFi coverage. Additionally, connected out-of-box cellular-based devices do not require the patients to have any knowledge of setting up a LAN/PAN connection.
• Quarantine Compliance: Smart cellular wristbands can be used to monitor the patients quarantined in their homes. These smart cellular IoT wristbands are small in size and have long battery life. The ability of these IoT wristbands to connect over a cellular network facilitates them to function independently from the patient’s smartphone. This helps the city management in ensuring that the patients are complying with quarantine rules.
• Improving The Reaction Time: Reaction time is a key factor in combating any pandemic. However, the timely reaction needs timely monitoring of symptoms and detection of contamination chains. Connected monitoring devices can help organizations, airports, malls, etc. in the effective and timely monitoring of people. These devices can also help in efficient monitoring of remote patients by healthcare professionals. This will help in the early detection of a pandemic resulting in reduced reaction time.

For more information on the key role of connected devices during a pandemic, call Centex Technologies at (972) 375 - 9654.

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Outbreak of new diseases puts immense pressure on the healthcare system. Factors such as limited resources, a sudden rise in the number of patients, lack of established treatment, and vulnerability of medical staff add to the pressure on the healthcare system. In order to combat the outbreak of new diseases effectively, healthcare professionals require faster diagnosis, rapid response, effective use of human resources, and ensuring the safety of medical personnel.

In this scenario, medical AI is proving to be of immense use. Although the use of medical AI is not a new concept, the applications of medical AI have widened with the outbreak of new diseases and pandemics such as COVID-19.

• Diagnostics: Diagnosis of some diseases may require the doctors to compare a large number of CT Scans, check medical history, or other detailed reports. This is a time-consuming process and may result in delayed treatment causing negative effects, specifically in time sensitive cases. AI software helps in analyzing large amounts of patient data to assist doctors in diagnosing patients at a greater pace. This assists in lowering the treatment time.
• Risk Profiling: In the case of diseases that are contagious and spread easily, it becomes imperative to track the patients, travelers, tourists, etc. This helps in building a risk profile of the individuals. But manual profiling is time-consuming and prone to errors. On the other hand, AI-based risk profiling software has capabilities of historical geolocation and anomaly tracking of individuals in an efficient manner.
• Optimizing Drug Therapy: Effective and proper treatment of a new bacterial or viral infection requires a combination of different drugs. However, the process of searching for suitable drug molecules can be laborious, time consuming, and costly. It also requires numerous trials and can involve manual errors. AI-based systems help in optimizing the drug discovery process by searching the databases of complex drug molecules and matching the drug molecules with the target proteins. This reduces the research time and increases efficiency.
• Assistance For Medical Staff: AI-based apps can help the healthcare staff in gathering relevant information such as hospital-specific information, latest guidelines, operational directives, new treatments, protocols, drug dosage, and drug formulary. Well-trained AI systems can be used to analyze a patient’s reports and assign the case to a relevant specialist in the hospital.

For more information on increasing applications of medical AI, call Centex Technologies at (972) 375 - 9654.

Outbreak of new diseases puts immense pressure on the healthcare system. Factors such as limited resources, a sudden rise in the number of patients, lack of established treatment, and vulnerability of medical staff add to the pressure on the healthcare system. In order to combat the outbreak of new diseases effectively, healthcare professionals require faster diagnosis, rapid response, effective use of human resources, and ensuring the safety of medical personnel.

In this scenario, medical AI is proving to be of immense use. Although the use of medical AI is not a new concept, the applications of medical AI have widened with the outbreak of new diseases and pandemics such as COVID-19.

• Diagnostics: Diagnosis of some diseases may require the doctors to compare a large number of CT Scans, check medical history, or other detailed reports. This is a time-consuming process and may result in delayed treatment causing negative effects, specifically in time sensitive cases. AI software helps in analyzing large amounts of patient data to assist doctors in diagnosing patients at a greater pace. This assists in lowering the treatment time.
• Risk Profiling: In the case of diseases that are contagious and spread easily, it becomes imperative to track the patients, travelers, tourists, etc. This helps in building a risk profile of the individuals. But manual profiling is time-consuming and prone to errors. On the other hand, AI-based risk profiling software has capabilities of historical geolocation and anomaly tracking of individuals in an efficient manner.
• Optimizing Drug Therapy: Effective and proper treatment of a new bacterial or viral infection requires a combination of different drugs. However, the process of searching for suitable drug molecules can be laborious, time consuming, and costly. It also requires numerous trials and can involve manual errors. AI-based systems help in optimizing the drug discovery process by searching the databases of complex drug molecules and matching the drug molecules with the target proteins. This reduces the research time and increases efficiency.
• Assistance For Medical Staff: AI-based apps can help the healthcare staff in gathering relevant information such as hospital-specific information, latest guidelines, operational directives, new treatments, protocols, drug dosage, and drug formulary. Well-trained AI systems can be used to analyze a patient’s reports and assign the case to a relevant specialist in the hospital.

For more information on increasing applications of medical AI, call Centex Technologies at (972) 375 - 9654.

Every start-up faces two main challenges - testing the risk assumptions and collecting the maximum amount of validated information with the least efforts. Your first start-up app should offer solutions to these two challenges. There are no set layouts on how your first app version should look, however, there are two main guidelines every entrepreneur should be aware of:

• It Must Be An Answer To A Problem: The goal of first app version is to find out if your unique feature is valid enough to help you compete against the existing competitors in the market. Make it a point that app features should present the core of your solution in a compelling light. If the users are not convinced by the value of the core solution, they would not care to switch even if you provide add-on features.
• It May Not Be Automated: While automation may be a good feature to be included in an app, the first version of your start-up app need not be automated as far as it solves the user’s problems and allows you to test the risks. The purpose of your first app version is to help you de-risk the start-up and build your business on a stronger foundation.

Additionally, there are some key characteristics that you should keep in mind for building a successful start-up app:

• Simple To Use: The first and foremost characteristic that accounts for the popularity of an app is the simplicity to use. While it may be tempting to incorporate a lot of interesting ideas and third party widgets, it is important to keep in mind that the app will be used on mobile devices with limited screen dimensions. Thus, provide a simple user interface that is easier to use.
• Abolish Clicks: Attracting users to your app is important; making them stick to your app is equally necessary. Although, collecting user information is one of the underlying purposes of a app, do not overwhelm the users with multiple questions. Try to ask a minimum number of questions, banish unnecessary clicks, and avoid multiple taps in navigation.
• Multiple Device Compatibility: It is understandable that users are most likely to access the app on mobile devices so, make sure that your app is compatible with all the popular Operating Systems used across mobile devices such as iOS, Android, etc. Also, try to keep your app compatible with up to 2 versions prior to the latest update of these operating systems.
• User Feedback: Be sure to include the user feedback section in the app. It will provide valuable information about how your app works, ease of use, and improvements that users expect.
• Security: Security is crucial for the success of any app. Users will provide their details only if they are sure about the security of an app. So, pay attention to data security and other cyber security aspects of the app.
• Analytics: Analytics will help you to track user behavior while using your app and shed light on the feature that accounts for maximum user retention. This will allow you to develop popular features and work towards making your app succeed.

For more information on building your first start-up app, call Centex Technologies at (972) 375 - 9654.

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The number of employees working from home on a full-time or part-time basis has increased in the past few years. With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, this number has increased many folds. Although it is the need of time but working from home poses some challenges such as lack of face-to-face supervision, lack of access to information, distractions at home, sense of being left out, security breach, etc. This is exerting pressure on businesses to implement effective remote work strategies to tackle the challenges/risks and improve the efficiency of the workforce.

Here are some tips for implementing a successful remote work strategy:

• Structured Daily Check-In: Remote managers should make it a point to establish a daily call with the remote employees. It may be an individual or team call based on the nature of individual work (whether the remote workers operate independently or in a collaborative manner). The aim of the call should be to provide a forum to the employees where they can discuss any work-related concerns and get an effective solution. The call can also be used as a platform to discuss daily goals and progress to keep a tab on productivity.
• Provide Different Communication Technologies: Making use of different communication technology options can be imperative for a successful remote work strategy. Businesses should consider a video conference for maintaining a personal interaction between the employees. The video conference technology may be used for conducting complex or sensitive communications. The organizations can also make use of mobile-enabled individual messaging functionalities for handling simpler, less formal, or time-sensitive conversations. However, remote managers should make it a point to consult the IT department of the organization before making use of any communication tool to ensure data security.
• Lay Out Ground Rules Of Engagement: Lay out clear rules to maintain uniformity of engagement channels among the remote employees. The rules should discuss the mode of communication to be used based on the nature of communication. It is also important to state a fixed time for team meetings and video conferences. Once the rules are set, the managers should monitor the communications to ensure that the employees are adhering to the rules and sharing information as per the directives.
• Educate Employees On Data Access And Sharing Policies: A key challenge in implementing a remote work strategy is to ensure data security. So, remote managers should collaborate with the IT department to lay out strict data access, data sharing, and user login policies. Educate the employees about the data policies, data breach, ways to detect a cyber attack, etc. A good approach is to organize webinars for the team to provide the required information and acquaint the employees with the security protocols.

For more information on ways to implement a successful remote work strategy, call Centex Technologies at (972) 375 - 9654.

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Data intelligence is an important aspect of every organization. It lays the foundation for data analytics and decision making by the company executives. However, data collection and analysis are conducted by computers that store them in languages that are not comprehendible by humans. Thus, in order to facilitate decision making, it is imperative to make data analytics available in natural human languages.

Once the metadata is annotated in human languages, it provides information about events such as when, what, where, how and why they occurred. When the information is available in tangible form, it can be used to gain situational awareness and stimulate thinking by forming patterns or relationships between data. Formatting the data by forming visuals such as tables, charts, and graphs help in understanding the patterns and interdependency of various factors. This understanding defines the course of future actions to achieve desired organizational goals.

In order to understand how to make data analytics human for decision making, let us consider the following aspects:

Type Of Data:

Traditionally, metadata management focused on technical metadata including platform, structure and physical characteristics. However, as the business organizations are now relying extensively on data analytics, equal focus is being laid on collection and correlation of business metadata (business rules, associated applications, and business capabilities) and semantic metadata (business terminology and ontology).

Finding Data Patterns:

A large amount of data is collected on a daily basis. But in order to gain meaningful results, it is required to understand the relationships in the data. An example of data mapping for understanding interrelationships between entities, their properties and relationships is ‘Knowledge Graphs’ pioneered by Google. Although such graphs provide good information, they alone cannot be used for reliable decision making. Thus, more related data has to be collected from parallel platforms and databases to create a ‘Knowledge Platform’.

As the information is classified in classes and concepts across different datasets, it makes it easier to interlink and find related information. Businesses tend to make use of query languages to search for information across the contents of enormous datasets.

Narratives:

After understanding the patterns of data, the next step is to form a data narrative. It includes reasoning and learning in addition to data patterns. To create a narrative, it is important to understand three things:

• Types of questions that may be asked based on data patterns
• Answers to these questions
• Questions that will arise based on previous answers

Data patterns may indicate information such as the effect of a variable on business metrics. But data narrative includes answers to questions such as ‘If metric goes up with time, how will it affect the business?’, ‘Does the metrics accumulate over time or is it point-in-time?’ and ‘What does it mean for our sales?’.

Decision Making:

The data narrative forms the basis of decision making. The decision makers of an organization analyze the narrative, visualize the supporting data, and test the hypothesis to identify gaps. The final decision conveys the required actions for achieving business innovation and goals.

For more information on making data analytics human for decision making, call Centex Technologies at (972) 375 - 9654.