Protection of medical records with blockchain

Blockchain technology provides a secure basis for protecting medical records and, with it, patient privacy. Several new providers of medical documentation technologies have emerged that are causing significant disruption to the industry.

The reason why blockchain is used by health establishments is due to the additional security and transparency that comes from the technology. Blockchain is an encrypted register of digital transactions via a peer-to-peer network. The advantage of Blockchain in the field of health is that it creates a verifiable record.

Blockchain technology allows each healthcare professional to send information and have their own digital copy of the ledger. This is in contrast to conventional systems where all data is in a centralized location. It is important to note that it is not possible to insert new transactions or busy data, without the majority of nodes accepting that it is actually accurate.

This type of technology can benefit health care, especially where the different health facilities have their own version of a patient's records. When a person visits several health professionals in the course of their life, each record issued by the facility is more often different. This presents complications for a patient's personal health. Blockchain solutions offer the possibility of combining these three aspects.

Several companies are entering the medical records space, offering blockchain solutions.

Medibloc

MediBloc is a scheme that aims to put patients in control of their individual medical records. This system passes into the patient's property and offers patient control in relation to who has access to these medical data. This process prevents pharmaceutical companies from accessing data unless the patient agrees.

Dentacoin

The Dentacoin Foundation, based in the Netherlands, provides a blockchain-based dental health database. The decentralized system stores patient data and is controlled by its users. There are also advantages to the medical profession with the system. For dentists this system allows the construction of more accurate and personalized treatment plans based on the review of individual patient records.

Medicalchain

Medicalchain produces a database that allows users to grant permission to medical professionals to access data contained in the system. Every time data is accessed, it is recorded, making the platform integral, transparent and secure via the blockchain. The nature of the digital ledger means that the patient's privacy is protected at every stage.