parse a file into text file

[Guest]

I have a word document. I have parse that data into a Text file. I would
like to extract some data removing all the white spaces and trims and parse
into a Text file.

How can I do that. I have pasted some data which is in word document and is
very ugly. I have to parse this text file.


Thanks

06/28/07 GUARANTORS' FILE REPORT BY
ACCOUNT Page 1
GERLIE L. PAPILLION, M.D.
All Accounts

Acct # Name Soc.Sec. # DOB/DOD Patient ID
Patient ID2 Dr. Ref Rel Sex Mar Emp Rac
==================================================================================================================================
1 ARMENDARIZ, LIZ 570-58-7031 11/16/1942 570-58-7031
1 0 S F ]

1133 MONTEREY ST. (408) 636-3293 Acct.Date:
02/01/87 Bill Type: 00 Status:1 Class:
DOL Visit:
06/23/94 Discount : 0% Collection > days: 0
HOLLISTER CA 95023 Tax Code :
Budget: 0.00 Collection Priority: 0
---------------------
2 AUSER, THOMAS 571-30-9415 01/23/1926 571-30-9415
1 0 S M ]

13210 COLONY AVE (408) 683-2320 Acct.Date:
02/01/87 Bill Type: 11 Status:1 Class:
(408) 299-2171 DOL Visit:
08/29/00 Discount : 0% Collection > days: 0
SAN MARTIN CA 95046 Tax Code :
Budget: 0.00 Collection Priority: 0
---------------------
3 AZZARELLO, VIRGINIA 565-24-9688 02/13/1923 565-24-9688
1 0 S F M NO ]

800 CALAIS CIRCLE (831) 630-1492 Acct.Date:
02/01/87 Bill Type: 11 Status:1 Class:
DOL Visit:
07/09/03 Discount : 0% Collection > days: 0
Hollister CA 95023 RETIRED Tax Code :
Budget: 0.00 Collection Priority: 0
---------------------
4 SOTTILARE, JULIE A 143-36-2074 05/31/1946 143-36-2074
1 0 S F ]

1209 HILLSDALE (408) 978-2171 Acct.Date:
02/01/87 Bill Type: 11 Status:1 Class:
(408) 289-3239 DOL Visit:
02/01/87 Discount : 0% Collection > days: 0
SAN JOSE CA 95118-1224 Tax Code :
Budget: 0.00 Collection Priority: 0
---------------------

 

[Peter Duniho]

I have a word document. I have parse that data into a Text file. I
would
like to extract some data removing all the white spaces and trims and
parse
into a Text file.

How can I do that. I have pasted some data which is in word document
and is
very ugly. I have to parse this text file.

You've got to be kidding me. You just posted actual data, containing
information that is confidential, completely violating any variety of
medical and financial privacy rules and regulations. Patients names,
social security numbers, addresses and phone numbers?

As far as your question goes, there's not much in the way of shortcuts.
You might be able to write a regular expression that will satisfactorily
break the data into pieces. But other than that, it's just a matter of
scanning through the data, pulling out the information you want.

But frankly, I think that's the least of your problems. If and when your
employer finds out how careless you are with what is clearly sensitive
information, you will be fortunate if you are simply removed from that
project. Your best bet at the moment is to confess to your employer so
that you can begin "damage control", including notification of the doctor
and their patients to alert them to the fact that the data has been
publicly released.

If your employer finds out from someone other than you, I suspect it's
pretty much guaranteed you'd lose your job. You need to be proactive here
if you expect to retain any professional credentials.

Pete

 

[Guest]

I hope these people are forgiving, or better yet, fictional.

Publishing social security numbers, addresses and phone numbers? NOT SMART!

 

[Peter Duniho]

I hope these people are forgiving, or better yet, fictional.

A quick Google search suggests that these are in fact real data. Very,
very bad.

Of course, you probably shouldn't have quoted the entire post yourself.
Doing so just makes the problem worse.

 

[Guest]

You are right, and now I feel worse...

 

[Brian Ferguson]

Posting Protected Health Information on the Internet? You must be kidding!
You might want to brush up on some of the basic concepts of The Health
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). I have copied the
Federal penalties below. The State of California also has state privacy
laws laws. Converting that Word file into Text may be least of your
problems..........

--------------------------------------

HIPAA Violations and Enforcement
Failure to comply with HIPAA can result in civil and criminal penalties (42
USC § 1320d-5).

Civil Penalties

Violations of the Administrative Simplification Regulations can result civil
monetary penalties of $100 per violation, up to $25,000 per year.

Criminal Penalties

In June 2005, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) clarified who can be held
criminally liable under HIPAA. Covered entities and specified individuals,
as explained below, whom "knowingly" obtain or disclose individually
identifiable health information in violation of the Administrative
Simplification Regulations face a fine of up to $50,000, as well as
imprisonment up to one year. Offenses committed under false pretenses allow
penalties to be increased to a $100,000 fine, with up to five years in
prison. Finally, offenses committed with the intent to sell, transfer, or
use individually identifiable health information for commercial advantage,
personal gain or malicious harm permit fines of $250,000, and imprisonment
for up to ten years.

Covered Entity and Specified Individuals

The DOJ concluded that the criminal penalties for a violation of HIPAA are
directly applicable to covered entities—including health plans, health care
clearinghouses, health care providers who transmit claims in electronic
form, and Medicare prescription drug card sponsors. Individuals such as
directors, employees, or officers of the covered entity, where the covered
entity is not an individual, may also be directly criminally liable under
HIPAA in accordance with principles of "corporate criminal liability." Where
an individual of a covered entity is not directly liable under HIPAA, they
can still be charged with conspiracy or aiding and abetting.

Knowingly

The DOJ interpreted the "knowingly" element of the HIPAA statute for
criminal liability as requiring only knowledge of the actions that
constitute an offense. Specific knowledge of an action being in violation of
the HIPAA statute is not required.

Full DOJ memorandum (This link will take you off the AMA Web site. The AMA
is not responsible for the content of other Web sites.)

Exclusion

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has the authority to
exclude from participation in Medicare any covered entity that was not
compliant with the transaction and code set standards by October 16, 2003
(where an extension was obtained and the covered entity is not small) (68 FR
48805).

Enforcing Agencies

The DHHS Office of Civil Rights (OCR) enforces the privacy standards, while
the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) enforces both the transaction and
code set standards and the security standards (65 FR 18895). Enforcement of
the civil monetary provisions has not yet been tasked to an agency.

Please refer to the AMA's FAQs on the privacy regulations for additional
information on enforcement of the privacy standards.

No Private Cause of Action

While HIPAA protects the health information of individuals, it does not
create a private cause of action for those aggrieved (65 FR 82566). State
law, however, may provide other theories of liability.