Electronic health record sharing using hybrid architecture

A method, implemented at least in part by a computing device, for controlling access to electronic health records using a hybrid architecture, the method comprising:

• obtaining, by a first location from a token ownership service of a centralized service, an ownership token comprising:
• a unique electronic health record (EHR) identifier identifying an EHR of a patient;
• and
• a unique location identifier identifying a second location, wherein the second location currently owns the EHR, and wherein the second location currently stores the EHR;
• sending, from the first location directly to the second location, a request to transfer the EHR stored at the second location;
• receiving, at the first location directly from the second location, the EHR;
• and
• obtaining, by the first location from the token ownership service and from the second location, ownership of the EHR, wherein the ownership is obtained, at least in part, using a pessimistic lock, and wherein obtaining ownership is required before the first location is authorized to make changes to the EHR;
• wherein the centralized service is part of a centralized architecture, and wherein the first location and the second location are part of a distributed architecture separate from the centralized architecture.

A system, comprising one or more computing devices, for controlling access to electronic health records using a hybrid architecture, the system comprising:

• a token ownership service as part of a centralized service of a centralized architecture, the token ownership service configured for:
• storing an ownership token, wherein the ownership token comprises:
• a unique electronic health record (EHR) identifier identifying an EHR of a patient;
• and
• a unique location identifier, associated with the unique EHR identifier, identifying a first location, wherein the first location currently owns the EHR of the patient;
• and
• a search service as part of the centralized service of the centralized architecture, the search service configured for:
• storing patient identifying information of the patient, wherein the patient identifying information is associated with the unique EHR identifier of the patient, and wherein the patient identifying information is a subset of patient information stored in the EHR;
• and
• responding to a search request by looking up the ownership token based on at least some of the patient identifying information;
• wherein the centralized architecture provides the centralized service to a plurality of locations, wherein the plurality of locations are part of a distributed architecture, wherein the distributed architecture is separate from the centralized architecture, wherein the EHR is stored at a first location of the plurality of locations, and wherein the EHR is not stored at the centralized architecture.