SUMMARY:
UCLA researchers in the Department of Computational Medicine and Computer Science have developed a symptom screening survey which, upon completion, issues an encrypted completion code specific to an hour and date (rather than individual) and can be verified by a workplace.
BACKGROUND:
COVID-19 has impacted a wide range of jobs and has dramatically changed how work is conducted. Due to its easily transmittable nature, healthcare and other workplace employees should monitor themselves before deciding to come in to work. Not all individuals entering a workplace or campus, however, are employees. As such, there is a growing need for a system that can help everyone coming into a workplace, including employees, identify their symptoms and report it to places of business without providing sensitive personal information.
INNOVATION:
UCLA researchers have developed a survey system that securely helps workers and other visitors identify symptoms to a workplace in a private and secure manner. The system allows participants to take an anonymous symptom survey which, upon completion, issues a completion code specific to an hour and date (rather than individual). The code can be displayed on a cell phone and verified by an employer or institution without providing any personal information with the code changing color over time to indicate time elapsed since taking the survey. The cryptographic algorithm used to encrypt the completion codes makes it impossible to randomly guess a valid code.
The survey system has already been successfully developed and is being used as part of the STOPCOVID-19 TOGETHER survey. By allowing individuals to securely identify if they have any potential symptoms related to COVID-19, they can then help prevent potential outbreaks and paired with location information allowing for community leaders to monitor areas and appropriately help and mitigate outbreak areas.
POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS:
- Symptom Monitoring Systems
- Protect employees of an institution while tracking changes in symptoms over time
- Protect visitors, customers and others at a place of business
- Fulfils public health mandates without dealing with difficult privacy issues
- Proof of completion of any survey by individuals
ADVANTAGES:
- Secures Private Health Information
- Helps Prevent Potential Outbreaks