5. Setting up Synthea International

Synthea is used for the structured generative component of Privacy Fingerprint with UK adaptation from Synthea International.

5.1 Install openjdk via HomeBrew

Warning

This particular setup was tested with Homebrew openjdk@17.

You will need to ensure HomeBrew is set-up correctly, then you can run:

Install openjdk@17

sudo apt-get update
brew install openjdk@17

You can then verify OpenJDK 17 is installed by checking the version

java -version

5.2 Clone repositories

Warning

If you are using WSL, ensure you git clone Synthea using WSL. If you want to work in your local C: drive you can access this drive via the /mnt/c folder in your wsl terminal. For more information click here.

Open a terminal in a projects directory

git clone https://github.com/nhsengland/privfp-experiments.git
git clone https://github.com/synthetichealth/synthea.git
git clone https://github.com/synthetichealth/synthea-international.git

5.3 Modify Synthea

Checkout compatible versions

cd synthea
git checkout fb43d3957762465211e70daeeb2bc00e0dbd1c1d

cd ../synthea-international
git checkout b4cd9a30f106957ae8f2682090d45b04a49a7c4b

Copy UK adaptation

cp -R gb/* ../synthea
cd ../synthea

5.4 Verify installation

Run Synthea

./run_synthea "West Yorkshire"

5.5 Modify Synthea Properties

You will need to replace the file inside the synthea repository (synthea/src/main/resources/synthea.properties) with the file located locally in this repository (privfp-experiments/src/generate/synthea_properties/synthea.properties).