Using anonymisation tools on Australian general practice notes – transformers v bespoke?

Free-text fields in clinical records often contain information that needs to be de-identified when sharing this data for research purposes. Many GPs use anonymisation tools to speed up this process and make it more efficient. A new PATRON publication discusses how GPs can effectively anonymise free-text, and analyses the effectiveness of using US tertiary care transformers compared with purpose-built tools.

Discover which tools were deemed to be the most effective here:

Klapaukh, R., El-Hayek, C., Boyle, D. Do transformers generalise better than bespoke tools for anonymisation? Informatics in Medicine Unlocked (2025). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.imu.2024.101607

Interested in joining the Data for Decisions program? Data for Decisions, incorporating the PATRON program of research, is a University of Melbourne research initiative that is managed by the Department of General Practice and Primary Care. With the permission of general practices or other primary care providers, we collate data from de-identified medical records and use the information for research to increase knowledge, quality improvement and improve healthcare practices.

The Data for Decisions website has a number of documents that are available for practices to communicate to patients their participation in this program, and to allow patients to have their data excluded if they wish.  It is important that practices display this information for their patients to review.  The two most important documents are the Waiting Room Poster and the Patient Information Statement. If you are preparing for accreditation, or just ensuring that you have copies of your agreement with The University of Melbourne and ethics approvals, and need any assistance you can contact Patron Administration patron-support@unimelb.edu.au You could also share with your patients the Data for Decisions 2024 Report.

Patron Application Dates

If you are considering submitting a Patron application, please review the information on the D4D website for Researchers found here, and contact the Patron Administrator (patron-support@unimelb.edu.au) if you have any questions.

2025 applications to access Patron data must be received by:

  • Friday 14 February 2025 for review by the independent Data Governance Committee in March 2024
  • Friday 17 April 2025 for review by the independent Data Governance Committee in May 2024
  • Friday 22 June 2025 for review by the independent Data Governance Committee in July 2024
  • Friday 22 August 2025 for review by the independent Data Governance Committee in September 2024

Friday 24 October 2025 for review by the independent Data Governance Committee in November 2024