Implementing privacy preserving record linkage: Insights from Australian use cases

Objective

To describe the use of privacy preserving linkage methods operationally in Australia, and to present insights and key learnings from their implementation.

Methods

Privacy preserving record linkage (PPRL) utilising Bloom filters provides a unique practical mechanism that allows linkage to occur without the release of personally identifiable information (PII), while still ensuring high accuracy.

Results

The methodology has received wide uptake within Australia, with four state linkage units with privacy preserving capability. It has enabled access to general practice and private pathology data amongst other, both much sought after datasets previous inaccessible for linkage.

Conclusion

The Australian experience suggests privacy preserving linkage is a practical solution for improving data access for policy, planning and population health research. It is hoped interest in this methodology internationally continues to grow.