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Meet Jane.
He lives in Alabama in the United States and is 21 years old. In her spare time, Jane loves to travel the west coast. This summer, after a hard year at college, decided to travel through California.
Jane was having fun in L.A. when he suddenly started having respiratory problems. Some of the people who passed by called 911, and an 'ambulance rushed out and took her to the hospital. When she arrived at the emergency room, Jane was struggling to get enough air to breathe.
Soon, she was diagnosed with an acute respiratory failure and the treatment began. But the problem was that Jane could not tell the doctors anything about her medical history.
Since his only goal was to take a little air, he had trouble talking. "Are you using drugs? Do you have any chronic illness? What allergies do you have?" None of the members of his family could tell the medical team – they were not there.
Everything about his medical condition was written in his medical record, which was in his local hospital in Alabama. But the doctors here in LA did not have access to it. They knew nothing of his medical history.
You guessed it: Jane was quite difficult.
I think you'll agree with me when I say that something like this can happen to anyone, not just Jane.
Let's face it: health care today faces some serious problems. Fragmented data and lack of interoperability and secure links are just some of these. Obtaining and sharing medical records is insecure, slow and often incomplete.
Even though we live in a digital world, today's healthcare systems often require patients to obtain and share their medical records as physical paper copies, or they are stored in one system. These copies could be stolen or lost. You have to keep track of every single piece of paper because you never know when someone will ask you. And IT systems can be violated.
Furthermore, there is always a security problem because patients do not own their data and these data can be manipulated. Try to remember some health institutions you have visited in the past.
These institutions have probably gotten access to your data so they can learn more about your medical history. Once the provider has had access to your data, they have remained permanently in his possession. And these are just some of the problems that health care is facing.
Now, the question is: can we use blockchain technology to improve the health system? Yes we can.
Many of us know that blockchain technology was initially created to help the financial industry. Distributed accounting books should ensure that financial transactions do not rely on an intermediary: financial institutions such as a bank, PayPal or a credit company.
Today, most of the focus on the blockchain is focused on cryptocurrencies, especially on Bitcoins. But blockchain has slowly started to find applications in other fields such as legal, health, economics, education …
More and more companies are seeing the potential of blockchain technology and are implementing it in everyday technology.
In the healthcare sector, blockchain can solve one of the biggest challenges in the healthcare sector today: how to transfer patient data around the world and across different systems without compromising security.
But wait, there's something else.
Let's take a look at more problems that blockchain can solve in the healthcare industry:
1. The elimination of the third-party intermediary can reduce administrative costs
According to she studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine, using data from 1999, about 30% of US healthcare expenditures were the result of administration.
Today, this would mean that, on an average of about $ 19,000, that US workers and their employers pay for family coverage every year, $ 5,700 goes to administrative expenses. These are serious numbers.
On the other hand, blockchain technology uses smart contracts to avoid intermediaries, in this particular case, administration. Furthermore, centralized data storage can lead to duplication and errors. Blockchain, a decentralized network, provides immutability and transparency.
2. Maintain the digital identity of the private and secure patient
Using a private key, patients can confirm their identity within different healthcare organizations and those who do not have a key can not identify the data. In this way, patient data belongs to patients, not to institutions.
It is worth mentioning that in today's healthcare industry, it is not uncommon to see duplicate patient records and incorrect or incomplete medical data.
3. Blockchain allows interoperability between providers
Interoperability (no longer saying it) means that different healthcare organizations can securely share patient records with each other, no matter where they are.
For example, let's say you went to see a doctor in your local clinic, but you still want to ask for a second opinion. Without blockchain technology, this means that you have to copy all your documents and your medical records (and you have to be careful not to forget something).
So, you can go see another doctor and ask for a second opinion. But with the blockchain technology involved, it means that all your data is already inside the network and that the other doctor can see them using your key.
This includes not only information about your current status, but also your entire medical history.
I'm sure you'll agree that this would help our Jane from the beginning of the post.
4. Blockchain can keep track of the prescriptions to detect the prescriptions
The prescription of opiates such as fentanyl and painkillers has become epidemic in the United States. But it's not just a problem in the United States. Drug abuse is a world epidemic and the UN estimates that there are 29.5 million people around the world with drug use disorders.
And here's the problem: current prescription tracking systems lack the technology to successfully follow the prescriptions.
On the other hand, blockchain can make the prescriptions traceable and secure. Such as? Establishing a blockchain-based network of hospitals and pharmacies to track all transactions and prescriptions.
In this way, every prescription remains marked and transparent.
Despite all the advantages offered by blockchain technology, the use of public blockchains in health care is still a challenge.
Is blockchain technology perfect? No it is not. Blockchain-based applications also face many challenges.
Is Blockchain a better solution than the existing technology used in the healthcare sector? Yes. And it's definitely worth trying.
Tamara Jones is a freelance writer with a specialization in blockchain and cryptocurrency technology. When he is not writing, you can find her while taking long walks with her dog.
Disclaimer: The opinions of our guest writers are exclusively their own and do not reflect the views of The Daily Hodl. These opinions expressed are not investment advice. Investors should do their due diligence before making high-risk investments in Bitcoin, cryptocurrency or digital assets. Please note that your transfers and operations are at your own risk and any losses you may incur are your responsibility. The Daily Hodl does not recommend the purchase or sale of any cryptocurrency or digital assets, nor The Daily Hodl is an investment advisor. Please note that The Daily Hodl participates in affiliate marketing.
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