DataTransfer - Secure upload of medical data

By Stefan Rampp, MD
Department of Neurosurgery, University Halle-Wittenberg
April 2009

Excelsior JET success story

In clinical practice, the need to receive large amounts of digital patient data, e.g. MRI scans frequently arises. The standard method to send such data is still by mail, which can take several days. In urgent cases, transport by taxi is needed, causing considerable costs. Sending data by email would be a fast method, however there a two crucial issues: data volume is restricted depending on providers and transfer by standard email is insecure. Using encryption and FTP could overcome these problems and ensure privacy. However, there is some experience needed to allow for quick and reliable everyday use. In a clinical environment, neither can such experience be expected in general, nor is there enough time and acceptance for training courses.

We therefore implemented a solution encapsulating data selection, encryption, authentication and secure data transfer in an easy to use Java application. The standard mode allows for selection of the CD drive containing an MRI-CD, typically used in clinics, as well as attaching further information, such as a phone number, message, etc. A wizard guides the user through all necessary steps and eventually initiates the secure upload process.

An alternative GUI allows selection of individual files and directories, which resembles common email clients. Because of this functionality, Java was chosen instead of a pure browser-solution.

Deployment was initially done using Java Web Start. While this method worked for most patients sending data from their PCs, a number of clinics faced technical problems. In some of these, there was no Java VM installed and security settings prevented easy installation of a current VM. On some machines, available Java VM and Web Start also suffered from tight security settings, causing slowdowns and even deadlocks of the downloading and starting process. While most of these problems could be solved by contacting the respective administrator, an easy out-of-the-box experience was prevented and therefore also lowered acceptance. In addition, time consumption caused by these issues were excessive on our side.

At this point, we used Excelsior JET to create an downloadable installation bundle. There were several benefits in doing so:

• Included Java VM: The resulting package included a current Java VM, eliminating the need for the user to install or upgrade a Java VM, which simplifies deployment and improves the out-of-the-box experience considerably.
• Download size: Bundling a current VM with the installation package would not have been an option because of the increased download size. The ability to tailor Java SE components bundled with the application using the Java Runtime Slim-Down made this viable.
• Easy to use installer: JetPackII creates an intuitive installation wizard, which enables installation on most PCs without administrator privileges.

In conclusion, Excelsior JET simplified deployment considerably, improving acceptance and usage of our application.