Patent ID: 7668820
Filing Date: 2010-02-23
Classification: G06F,G16H

Abstract:
1. A method for assigning a longitudinal linking tag to a subject data record whose data attributes include at least some alphanumeric identification code attributes, third party attributes and demographic attributes related to the patient healthcare transaction, the method comprising the steps of: (a) defining a hierarchy of matching levels, wherein each matching level of said matching levels is defined by a designated set of data attributes for comparison with reference data records associated with known longitudinal linking tags, wherein the matching levels in the hierarchy are organized according to matching effectiveness of the data attributes within each respective matching level, and wherein the hierarchy of matching levels comprises a first series of matching levels, each matching level defined by a designated set of alphanumeric identification code attributes and a second series of matching levels, each matching level defined by a designated set of attributes including demographic attributes; (b) comparing values of the designated sets of data attributes in the subject data record and the reference data records level by level through the first series of matching levels in an attempt to find a matching reference data record; (c) if no matching reference data record is found at step (b), determining, by a computer processor, that at least a relevant demographic attribute is present in the subject data record; (d) if at least the relevant demographic attribute is present in the subject data record, comparing values of the designated sets of data attributes in the subject data record and the reference data records level by level through the second series of matching levels in an attempt to find a matching reference data record; (e) if a matching reference data record is found, assigning the longitudinal linking tag associated with that reference data record to the subject data record; (f) generating a new longitudinal linking tag and assigning the new longitudinal linking tag to the subject data record when no reference data records are successfully matched to the subject data record at steps (b) through (e); and (g) comparing values of demographic attributes in the subject data record and the matching reference data record found at step (b) to confirm the matching of the two records, wherein the matching levels are arranged in an hierarchical sequence according to empirically determined matching effectiveness ranks of the designated sets of data attributes defining each match level.