Build your blocks and chain them, making it virtually impossible to pass through! It’s just that”blockchain technology“has to offer. Blockchain in healthcare has the potential to reduce the significant loopholes in the application and management of medical data and medical records.
Along with its close relatives, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain in health projects promises to create an unprecedented level of accuracy, security and privacy for both healthcare professionals and patients.
What is blockchain technology?
The name “block chain” refers to how digital transaction data is stored – in the form of blocks that are linked together in a chain. The blockchain expands as the volume of transactions increases. The concept originated three decades ago, in 1991 when Satoshi Nakamoto of the University of California, Berkeley (California) created a mathematical structure for storing digital transactions or data in an immutable, distributed, decentralized digital ledger consisting of blocks linked together by a secret (cryptographic) signature, the chain, which is almost impossible to forge, hack or disrupt.
The benefits of blockchain in healthcare
Sensitive patient data, such as medical records, insurance details and personally identifiable information (PII), must be handled by the healthcare industry. However, since centralized systems are often used to store data, they are vulnerable to hacking, data breaches and unauthorized access.
Blockchain in health projects will do the following to help solve the problem:
1. Security
The security that blockchain technology provides is one of the most important benefits for health data management. Data breaches and identity theft are less likely due to blockchain technology.
2. Data transparency
Data transparency allows patients and healthcare professionals to access medical records securely and efficiently. It provides a new approach to giving patients more control over their data without compromising confidentiality.
The rationale for blockchain in healthcare
To understand the use of blockchain in health projects, you must first be aware of the typical workflow in a health information system. It involves the following steps:
- Patient registration
- Time planning
- Electronic journals
- Invoicing and invoicing
- Laboratory reports
- X-ray and scan reports
- Consultant and specialist management
- Patient care
- Medical injury treatment
- Return to planning
A successful treatment plan requires extensive background work, which is as important as the treatment itself. Blockchain technology is central to this process.
Maintaining a typical health information system requires a number of tasks, such as performing backup storage services, having recovery mechanisms in place, and ensuring that fields are up-to-date. In blockchain technology, there is no single point of data entry, and therefore no single point of error.
“Data is spread throughout each node or block, creating a built-in backup system.”
Each blockchain node copies the same version of the data. As a result, the total volume of transactions or digital data in each information system is reduced. This reduces the bulk load on the cloud health service’s ecosystem.
The entire system is tightly coupled, with multiple copies of all digital records, which are stored using cryptographic signatures. This makes it impenetrable, but allows easy access to all parties involved in a healthcare transaction.
How does blockchain work in healthcare?
Suppose you find a significant finding in the patient’s CT scan report. This report must be added to the patient’s medical record so that it is visible to the relevant specialist. The data must also be visible to the patient, so that he can seek a different opinion elsewhere.
How will blockchain technology help you?
- The editing in the journal must satisfy a number of cryptographic requirements that validate the identity of the person making the change.
- Before the transaction can be confirmed, all participants in the workflow (hospital authority, head of radiology, specialist and patient) must give their consent. After that, each local copy of the data is updated to reflect the activity.
- After that, the edit is transformed into a “block”, or a fixed event that is authorized and locked in place.
Suggested examples of blockchain in healthcare
Electronic medical record (EMR) and blockchain
EMR refers to digital versions of medical records used to store and manage patient data. Blockchain technology and electronic medical records (EMR) are two crucial elements in the handling of data in the healthcare sector. The security and privacy of EMRs can be improved using blockchain technology. It can make it easier for different healthcare professionals to share patient data. With the patient’s permission, a secure, open network that allows authorized healthcare professionals to access and share patient data can be built using blockchain technology.
Healthcare Data Protection and Blockchain
By establishing a secure and open network that allows authorized healthcare professionals to access and share patient data, blockchain can be used to protect patient data. Blockchain technology can help with regulatory compliance, for example with the US’s HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act).
Personal Health Record (PHR) Blockchain Management of Data
Personal health records (PHRs) are electronic copies of individual health records maintained by the patient, not a health care provider. Managing PHRs using blockchain technology has the potential to improve data security, privacy and interoperability (sharing medical data in a single format and file type).
Genomics Point-of-Care using blockchain
The term genomics point-of-care (POC) describes the use of genomic data to support clinical decision-making at the point of care, often in a clinical context. Blockchain technology has the potential to improve genomic data security and privacy while facilitating data sharing and analysis between researchers and healthcare personnel.
Blockchain for handling EHR data
It offers a secure, open and efficient platform for hosting, managing and exchanging electronic health record (EHR) data. It gives patients more power over their health information. Patients can control who has access to their data, granting or denying it to healthcare professionals and researchers as needed.
Real-life examples of blockchain-based healthcare services
Several health organizations have already implemented blockchain-based solutions for health data processing.
- Hashed Health is a health technology company that uses blockchain technology to establish a safe and transparent healthcare system. They developed Hashed Collective, a blockchain-based platform, to streamline administrative tasks for healthcare professionals and improve the management of healthcare data.
- Medicalchain is a blockchain-based network that allows users to securely store and exchange medical records with healthcare professionals. The software encrypts patient data using blockchain technology to increase security and limit access to only those authorized to view it.
Conclusion
Blockchain in healthcare has the potential to revolutionize the sector by providing a secure, open and efficient platform for managing private patient information. Whether you work in healthcare, are a patient, or are just an interested viewer, it’s obvious that blockchain technology is a game changer. Although third world countries may find it financially difficult to implement blockchain in healthcare projects right away, this technology enables more effective collaboration between healthcare professionals, leading to better patient outcomes and a more efficient healthcare system.
