Abstract
Objectives: The primary objective was to compile a comprehensive list of Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC) terms that may be associated with patient, healthcare provider, and healthcare facility identifying information.
Materials and methods: We developed a 2-step procedure for identifying LOINC terms, which consists of a keyword search of Long Common Names and filtering on selected property values, followed by expert physician review to confirm and categorize the terms.
Results: The final list comprises 1309 LOINC terms potentially associated with identifying information of patients, providers, and facilities. This list is publicly available on GitHub.
Discussion: Compared with electronic health record data coded with other terminologies, LOINC-coded data present unique challenges for deidentification, and a resource of LOINC terms that may be associated with identifying information will be helpful for this purpose.
Conclusion: This resource is valuable for deidentifying LOINC-coded data, ensuring compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and preserving the privacy of patients, providers, and facilities.
© The Author(s) 2025. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved.