[Histonet] Anonymizing numbering system

[Wheelock, Timothy R.]

Hi Everyone:

Thank you for all your responses and thoughts on this issue.
I should clarify that this new system may actually not be coming from the NIH itself, but perhaps from departments in one of our parent organizations. We have no written sources for this sort of approach. They may be understandably concerned about separating personal identifying information from clinical/pathological diagnostic information, so as to ensure confidentiality, especially in this day and age of increasingly vulnerable personal information. Assigning a randomized anonymizing number tracking system may help in this regard.  I have been assured that a "code", that is a way of matching the anonymizing number to a sequential system would be in place. So there would always be a way of "getting our bearings" at any point. My concern was mistakes and mixing up of cases. I still would prefer a sequential system, but at this point, we don't really have an option.  Plus, maybe it is just that I am used to a sequential system. I think it may be difficult to get use to at first, but if we take it carefully, and everyone cross-checks each other, it should be do-able. We shall see. Thanks again.

Tim


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