De-Identification - how to protect patient privacy effectively
Protecting patient privacy requires careful measures to de-identify health data. To address this, SPHN has developed a legally compliant de-identification methodology and a practical template to facilitate its implementation. These resources fill a crucial gap in Swiss data de-identification guidance.
27 February 2025
The methodology to de-identify health data is detailed in a Guidance Paper based on international expertise. It employs a dual approach that combines rule-based and risk-based measures. This approach ensures that re-identification risks are carefully assessed and mitigated in line with Swiss legal requirements. Additionally, the methodology is accompanied by a practical Excel Risk Assessment Template, which allows project leaders to iteratively evaluate re-identification risks, apply appropriate de-identification rules, and implement tailored risk mitigation strategies.
Closing a critical gap in Swiss data de-identification guidance
With these resources, SPHN makes an important contribution to addressing a significant gap in national guidance on data de-identification. The recommendations were initially developed by a task force of SPHN for the De-identification of data, in collaboration with Swiss university hospital representatives and legal experts. They have been recently revised offering a more comprehensive and simplified approach, incorporating additional use cases from practice.