PHI never leaves your Mac
Redact Medical Records on Mac
Patient names, dates of birth, MRNs, SSNs, addresses and phone numbers — detected and removed automatically, page after page. Lab values stay readable. Nothing is ever uploaded.
Get BlurData for Mac See what gets detectedThe problem with redacting medical records by hand
A single patient chart can repeat the same name forty times, mix identifiers into narrative text, and run to 60+ pages. Manually boxing every instance is slow — and one missed MRN on page 37 is a reportable disclosure. Cloud redaction services fix the speed problem but create a worse one: you're uploading PHI to a third-party server, which drags in BAAs, vendor risk reviews, and a data trail you didn't want.
BlurData takes a different approach: the document is analyzed on your Mac, every detected identifier is highlighted for review, and the exported file has the sensitive text permanently removed. No upload. No account. No PHI in anyone else's hands.
Built-in US Medical Records preset
One click loads a detection profile tuned for US clinical documents:
Lab values are preserved
The preset is tuned to distinguish identifiers from clinical data: numbers with decimals or commas (12.4, 1,234.56) and short values are left untouched, so labs, vitals and dosages stay readable in the redacted document. Built with input from healthcare users — and if your document type needs different rules, request a preset — typically built and shipped within 24 hours.
Made for long clinical documents
Whole-chart processing
Drop a 60-page record in and every page is analyzed automatically with live progress. Export stays locked until analysis completes — a partially-redacted chart can never leave the app by accident.
Review before export
Every detection is listed and highlighted on the page. Toggle categories, remove false positives, double-click any missed word to redact it — on this page or everywhere.
Permanent removal
Exported PDFs have the identifier text removed from the document, not hidden under a rectangle. Exported images are re-rendered pixels. There is nothing to "un-redact".
De-identifying PHI: the HIPAA Safe Harbor list, item by item
The Safe Harbor method in the HIPAA Privacy Rule lists 18 kinds of identifiers to remove before health information counts as de-identified. This is how each one is handled when you de-identify a record in BlurData. Whether a finished document meets the standard is your decision, or your privacy officer's; BlurData does the finding and the removing, on your Mac.
| Safe Harbor identifier | In BlurData |
|---|---|
| Names | Detected (patient names, First Last and Last, First) |
| Street address, city, county, ZIP code | Addresses and ZIP codes detected; check place names that appear on their own |
| Dates tied to the patient (birth, admission, discharge, death) and ages over 89 | Dates of birth detected; add a pattern or a box for other dates and for ages |
| Phone and fax numbers | Detected |
| Email addresses | Detected |
| Social Security numbers | Detected |
| Medical record numbers | Detected |
| Health plan beneficiary numbers | Add a pattern once, then detected every time |
| Account numbers | Detected |
| Certificate and license numbers | Add a pattern |
| Vehicle identifiers, including license plates | License plates detected; add a pattern for VINs |
| Device identifiers and serial numbers | Add a pattern |
| Web URLs | Detected |
| IP addresses | Detected |
| Biometric identifiers | Not detected: review by hand |
| Full-face photos and comparable images | Not detected: cover with a box by hand |
| Any other unique number or code | Add a pattern, or request a preset |
Who uses it
Clinics & practices
Referral packets, records requests, insurance documentation — cleaned before they leave the office, without routing PHI through a vendor.
Legal teams
Medical records in litigation: redact plaintiff identifiers for production while keeping clinical substance intact. Legal redaction guide →
Research & education
De-identify charts for case studies, teaching materials and IRB submissions — DOB, MRN and names out, clinical narrative in.
Frequently asked questions
What patient identifiers does BlurData detect in medical records?
With the US Medical Records preset, BlurData detects patient names (First Last and Last, First), dates of birth in every common format, Medical Record Numbers, Social Security Numbers, full street addresses, ZIP codes, email addresses and US phone numbers — automatically, across every page of the document.
Will it redact lab values by mistake?
No. The Medical Records preset is designed to leave clinical values alone: numbers with decimal points or commas (like 12.4 or 1,234.56) and short numeric values are preserved, so lab results, dosages and vitals stay readable while patient identifiers are removed.
Can BlurData de-identify PHI with the HIPAA Safe Harbor method?
It handles most of the 18 Safe Harbor identifiers automatically: names, addresses and ZIP codes, dates of birth, phone and fax numbers, emails, Social Security numbers, medical record numbers, account numbers, license plates, URLs and IP addresses. For health plan, license or device numbers you add a pattern once. Face photos and identifiers written in unusual ways need a look by hand. Whether a document meets the Safe Harbor standard is your decision; BlurData does the finding and removing on your Mac.
Is BlurData HIPAA compliant?
BlurData is built for HIPAA workflows: all processing happens on your Mac, documents are never uploaded to any server, and no account is required. Because no PHI ever reaches a third party, there is no Business Associate Agreement to sign — the data simply never leaves your device.
Can I redact a long medical record in one pass?
Yes. Drop the whole PDF in — every page is analyzed automatically with a progress indicator, and export is blocked until analysis is complete so a partially-redacted file can never leave the app. 60+ page records are handled smoothly.
What about identifiers specific to my organization?
You can add custom patterns for any identifier your organization uses — internal patient IDs, case numbers, facility codes — and they will be detected alongside the built-in categories. You can also request a preset for your document type — typically built and shipped within 24 hours.