From Crypto to Care: How Blockchain is Transforming Healthcare Data Management
Build your blocks and chain them, making it virtually impossible to pass through! That’s precisely what “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 records. Along with its close kin, machine learning, and artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain in healthcare projects promises to create an unprecedented level of accuracy, security, and privacy for both healthcare providers and patients.
What is blockchain technology?
The name "blockchain" refers to how digital transaction data is stored—in the form of blocks that are connected 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 unchangeable, dispersed, decentralized digital book made up of blocks linked by a secret (cryptographic) signature, the chain, that is nearly impossible to fake, 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 sector. However, as centralized systems are frequently used to store data, they are susceptible to hacking, data breaches, and unauthorized access.
Blockchain in healthcare projects will do the following to help solve the problem:
Security
The security that blockchain technology provides is one of its key benefits for managing healthcare data. Data breaches and identity theft are less likely due to blockchain technology.
Data transparency
Data transparency allows patients and healthcare providers to access medical records securely and efficiently. It provides a novel approach to giving patients more control over their data without compromising confidentiality.
The Rationale of Blockchain in healthcare
To understand the use of blockchain in healthcare projects, you first need to be aware of the typical workflow in a healthcare information system. It involves the following steps:
Patient registration
Appointment scheduling
Electronic medical records
Billing and invoicing
Laboratory reports
Xray and scan reports
Consultant and specialist management
Patient help desk
Medical claim management
Revisit scheduling
A successful treatment plan requires extensive background work, which is just as important as the actual treatment. Blockchain technology is instrumental in this process.
Maintaining a typical healthcare information system requires a number of tasks, such as performing backup storage services, having recovery mechanisms in place, and making sure fields are up-to-date. In blockchain technology, there is no single point of data entry, and hence no single point of failure as well.
“Data is dispersed 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 overall volume of transactions or digital data in each information system decreases. This reduces the bulk load on the cloud healthcare ecosystem.
The whole system is close-knit, with multiple copies of all digital records, that are stored using cryptographic signatures. This makes it impenetrable yet gives easy access to all the parties involved in a healthcare transaction.
How does blockchain in healthcare work?
Suppose you find a significant finding in your patient’s CT scan report. This report has to be added to the patient’s medical records so that it is visible to the concerned specialist. The data should also be visible to the patient, allowing him to seek a second opinion elsewhere.
How will blockchain technology help you?
The edit in the medical record must satisfy a number of cryptographic requirements that validate the identity of the person making the modification.
Before the transaction can be confirmed, every participant in the workflow (hospital authority, radiology chief, specialist, and patient) must provide 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 has been authorized and locked into place.
Proposed Examples of Blockchain in healthcare Solutions
Electronic medical records (EMR) and blockchain
EMR refers to digital versions of medical records that are used to store and manage patient data. Blockchain technology and electronic medical records (EMR) are two crucial elements in the management of data in the healthcare sector. The security and privacy of EMR can be improved with the help of blockchain technology. It can make it easier for various healthcare providers to share patient data. With the patient's permission, a safe, open network that lets authorized healthcare professionals access and share patient data can be built using blockchain technology.
Healthcare Data Protection and Blockchain
By establishing a safe and open network that permits authorized healthcare professionals to access and share patient data, blockchain can be utilized to protect patient data. Blockchain technology can help with regulatory compliance, such as with the USA'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 that are maintained by the patient, not a healthcare professional. The management of PHRs using blockchain technology has the potential to enhance data security, privacy, and interoperability (the sharing of medical data in a single format and file type).
Genomics Point-of-Care Using Blockchain
The term "genomics point-of-care" (POC) describes the application of genomic data to support clinical decision-making at the point of care, frequently 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 professionals.
Blockchain for the Management of EHR Data
It offers a safe, open, and effective 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 as needed to healthcare professionals and researchers.
Real-Life Examples of Blockchain-Based Healthcare Solutions
Several healthcare organizations have already implemented blockchain-based solutions for healthcare data management.
Hashed Health is a healthcare technology firm that is employing blockchain technology to establish a safe and transparent healthcare system. They developed the Hashed Collective, a blockchain-based platform, to streamline administrative tasks for healthcare providers and enhance the administration of healthcare data.
Medicalchain is a blockchain-based network that allows users to securely keep and exchange their medical records with healthcare providers. The software encrypts patient data using blockchain technology to increase its security and restrict access to just those who are authorized to see it.
Takeaway
Blockchain in healthcare has the potential to revolutionize the sector by offering a safe, open, and effective platform for managing private patient information. Whether you work in healthcare, are a patient, or are just an interested viewer, it is obvious that blockchain technology is a game changer. Even though third-world countries might find it financially difficult to implement blockchain in healthcare projects right away, this technology enables more efficient collaboration among healthcare providers, leading to better patient outcomes and a more effective healthcare system.
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