– The health blockchain could solve some of the biggest health problems, such as compliance, interoperability and data security, according to a recent CB Insights study.
The report examined the use cases of short, medium and long-term health blockchain.
In the short term, the health blockchain could help simplify back-office operations, improve organizations' ability to track products in the supply chain and improve information storage and verification.
Some health care consortia have already formed to exploit blockchain technology using generalized accounting systems to share data between members.
Synaptic Health Alliance, comprised of Humana, MultiPlan, Optum, Quest Diagnostics and UnitedHealthcare, plans to apply blockchain to ensure that the most up-to-date information on health care providers is available in the provider directories.
The pilot is examining how data sharing among healthcare organizations using blockchain technology can improve data accuracy, simplify administration, reduce costs and improve access to care.
In addition, Hashed Health has launched several health blockchain initiatives, including one involving GHX, Accenture, Martin Ventures and Change Healthcare. This initiative uses blockchain protocols to check if a healthcare provider is authorized for his services and position.
At the recent Distributed: Health conference in Nashville, Emily Vaughn, Product Director at Change Healthcare, noted, "What we're really trying to do is bring the first intelligent contract platform to health care. Opportunities to build development tools that enable healthcare engineers to quickly design and build blockchain applications. "
The CEO of Hashed Health, John Bass, added: "If you think of 2016, it was all about building the community … 2017 was a lot of company work, many conversations with big insurance companies, big pharmaceutical companies. .. on how companies could be involved.Now, in 2018, we have seen this change … The change I have noticed is that conversations are much more mature, the public is much more mature, the level of thought, practicality … it's much more advanced and much more mature than what we've seen in the past. "
In the medium term, CBI Insights expects that the health blockchain will be used to improve claims management, payment and prior authorization; exchange of health information and research data; and research and test design.
In the long term, the health blockchain could be used to manage universal identities, patient records and application services.
Health blockchain can improve data security
"Computer security is also a big problem, considering how expensive breaches of health data are … A blockchain register would create control paths for those who have access to a health record, creating more responsibilities," the report notes.
As an example of blockchain used to improve data security and patient privacy, Donor Concierge and ALTR announced in October a partnership that will use blockchain technology to protect health data and patient privacy for FRTYL, a service that links agencies fertility and clinics with parents seeking infertility treatments.
Using the ALTR data security platform, FRTYL will be able to store and retrieve data, as well as make them anonymous so that they can be used as a reliable resource that protects the identity and authenticity of the participants. .
The FRTYL database includes a deposit of surrogates and over 15,000 oocyte donors. The sensitive information contained in the database includes the history of family health, the history of sexual health, the use of drugs and alcohol, the previous history of the egg donation cycle and the personal information on the genetic carrier.
"There is so much sensitive information on donors and surrogates in the fertility field of third parties that we believe that safety is extremely important.In addition to HIPAA compliance, we are interested in working with ALTR because it is the only company that offers blockchain technology. for data, "said Gail Sexton Anderson, founder of the donor Concierge.
ALTR said its technology is the first commercial software package that applies blockchain to data security. The technology provides an interoperable network infrastructure that ensures control over how patient data is viewed or used and by whom.