Stop patient data from reaching AI tools unprotected
Locke flags patterns consistent with PHI on your device and can mask or block them before the prompt reaches the AI.
What Locke detects
Medical record numbers (MRNs)
Patterns consistent with MRN formats, near healthcare keywords.
Contextual pattern matchingPatient names and demographics
Named entity recognition finds names and places. Contextual matching catches dates of birth, admission dates and other demographics in clinical text.
NER + contextual matchingDiagnosis and procedure codes
Patterns consistent with ICD-10, CPT and HCPCS codes, near clinical keywords.
Contextual pattern matchingInsurance and billing identifiers
NPIs, health plan beneficiary numbers and insurance policy numbers, format-validated where possible.
Structural + contextual matchingSocial Security numbers
SSNs with checksum validation. They turn up often in intake and billing.
Structural validationPrescription and DEA numbers
Patterns consistent with DEA registration numbers (check digit verified) and prescription identifiers.
Structural validationTo be PHI under HIPAA, data must both identify an individual and relate to a health condition, treatment or payment. Locke finds patterns consistent with these data types. It does not determine PHI status.
Frameworks that may apply to flagged data
Locke reports pattern matches, not compliance status. These frameworks may be relevant when detected data is sent unprotected.
HIPAA
Locke flags a HIPAA relevance signal when data matching medical-record patterns is sent unprotected to an AI tool or unrecognized external service. The signal is a pattern match, not a finding that PHI was disclosed or that HIPAA was violated.
CCPA
Locke flags a CCPA relevance signal when personal identifiers are sent to a third-party AI tool.
Signal requirements: A relevance signal requires (1) flagged data in a specific category, (2) sent unprotected, (3) to a destination matching a relevant classification (AI tool, healthcare provider, or unrecognized external service). Blocked or remediated transmissions don't trigger one.
Locke does not determine whether data is PHI, whether a covered entity or business associate relationship exists, or whether a BAA is in place. You can add BAA-covered destinations to your compliance profile. Locke does not replace a compliance program, privacy officer or legal counsel.
Four steps, all on your device
Detect
Locke scans for MRNs, patient names, diagnosis codes, insurance identifiers and other patterns consistent with health data. It all runs on your device.
Alert
Each match is color-coded by confidence: red for structurally validated matches like SSNs and DEA numbers; yellow for contextual ones, like an MRN or diagnosis code near clinical keywords.
Block or mask
Locke can mask flagged data or block the request before it reaches a chatbot, an external form or an API endpoint.
Report
Events are logged on your device. Export PDF snapshots for compliance files, incident response or audit prep.
Patient data never reaches our servers
HIPAA requires covered entities and business associates to safeguard PHI. A privacy tool that sends patient data to its own cloud creates a new disclosure, and may need its own BAA. Locke works on your device, and Sonomos receives only your account, licence status and settings. Our position is that this creates no new business associate relationship.
Leave the MRN in the chart. Ask the AI the clinical question.
Get Locke for your organizationOr try the interactive demo first.
