Database networks including advanced replication schemes

4) A method of updating a database of records having person attributes using an input record containing person attributes and authorization information, wherein each record of the database has a unique provider ID and wherein the authorization information contains either a unique provider ID or a prior-use indicator, the method comprising the steps of:

• comparing a person attribute of the input record to a person attribute of each record in the database and identifying a record in the database as a matched record upon a match therebetween;
• creating a composite record from the input record and the matched record;
• writing at least a portion of the input record to the database if the authorization information contains a prior-use indicator;
• and
• comparing a provider ID in the authorization information to a provider ID associated with the matched record and generating an output record upon a match therebetween wherein the output record consists of the input record and wherein the authorization information of the output record contains a prior-use indicator,