Overview of the roles that CRATE can play in the creation of a research
database. The figure shows a schematic of a full EMR containing sensitive
and identifiable information, its processing into a pseudonymised research
database, and methods through which researchers may use the research
database to contact patients about research, while preserving anonymity for
those who have not consented to be contacted. Key functions of CRATE are
shown, as follows. (A) Anonymisation of source data in a relational
database framework, using identifiers in the source data to ‘scrub’ free
text. In this example the date of birth has also been partially obscured.
(B) Generation of crypographically secure research IDs using hashed
message authentication codes and one-time pads. An integer transient
research ID is illustrated; full research IDs use longer hexadecimal
digests. (C) Provision of a managed relational database interface to
natural language processing tools such as GATE. (D) Provision of an
optional web front end to a research database. (E) Management of a
consent-to-contact process. The anonymisation, NLP, front end, and
consent-to-contact components are modular and usable separately.