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Blockchain technology has had a prominent place in the public imagination since the invention of Bitcoin by an unknown person or a group of people by the name of Satoshi Nakamoto in 2008.
Indeed, there is considerable confusion between blockchain technology and Bitcoin, with many thinking the two are the same.
However, there is a lot more to cryptocurrency technology.
It is best to think of the blockchain as a type of database that can be shared among a given number of users in a distributed and decentralized way.
No single person has control over this database.
It is also unique in that there is a digital ledger of all transactions related to it.
Equally important, the data is cryptographically protected, which means that only those with the correct cryptographic keys will be able to read or write to the database.
The blocks of information are chained together, creating an immutable audit history.
The combination of these features offers unique opportunities for using the blockchain.
Drug monitoring
Globally. Blockchain technology in the healthcare sector is estimated to be worth around US $ 500 million (RM 2,044 million) by 2022.
It can be used for the award of insurance and claims, healthcare provider credentials, drug and device supply chains, personal health records and health data exchanges, as well as clinical research and trials.
Static registers (databases that store static information) can be used to verify the authenticity and legitimacy of products.
This helps to attest to the pedigree of the items from the point of production to consumption.
For example, it can be used to trace vaccines from the manufacturing facility to the point of administration.
Malaysia is expected to receive our first batch of Covid-19 vaccines in the first quarter of next year (2021).
The Ministry of Health (MOH) has given the green light to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (Mosti) and Mimos (our national applied research and development center) to initiate a related vaccine monitoring project based on blockchain technology as proof of -concept.
If it proves effective, it will be integrated into the existing MOH Pharmaceutical Traceability and Tracking System.
Vaccine monitoring can be used not only for the Covid-19 vaccine, but also for any other vaccine or drug in Malaysia.
It will begin with the serialization of each drug, with monitoring by the manufacturer throughout the supply chain to the physician providing the drug and the individual receiving it.
This system can then be used to provide a “digital health certificate” that meets international standards (eg the CommonPass which is supported by the World Economic Forum and the Rockefeller Foundation), thus facilitating cross-border travel and commuting.
Access to the medical record
Blockchain technology can also play a role in improving access to patient medical records.
Institutions that store electronic health records lack interoperability, meaning one hospital’s database cannot “talk” to its counterpart in another hospital as they usually operate in silos and use different types of software.
This leads to a high level of inefficiency as doctors in different hospitals treating the same patient will not have access to the patient’s history of previous investigations and management plans.
A universally accessible blockchain will allow access to data by interested parties (e.g. patients, medical staff and insurance companies) in a secure and authenticated way.
Access can be granted by the patient, using smart contracts.
This not only places the control of personal health data in the hands of the individual, but also acts as a disincentive against repeated investigations and delays in providing timely care.
The same concept can help improve medical insurance claims.
As patients, we can deal with many different doctors and clinics or hospitals, which means that bits and pieces of our medical history exist in separate places.
Placing medical records on a blockchain that allows appropriate access will not only allow faster access to insurance companies, but will also help reduce the incidence of fraud.
Obstacles to adoption
In 2018, the UAE launched their Emirates Blockchain Strategy 2021.
This plan not only aims to leverage technology to transform half of all their government transactions into the blockchain platform by 2021, but also focuses on four themes: happiness of citizens and residents, elevating government efficiency, advanced legislation, and international leadership.
As part of the strategy, efforts were made to identify obstacles.
Apparently, the biggest challenges in adopting the technology weren’t technical, instead they were:
- Difficulty in bringing together required stakeholders
- Unclear regulatory implications
- Education and awareness of the stakeholders involved
- Identify and understand the most relevant applications of the blockchain
- Addressing governance
The levels of uncertainty that occur as a result of rapid technological advances usually lead governments to create regulatory sandboxes.
These allow for careful monitoring of innovative new products and proof of concepts by regulators in a live test environment.
In Malaysia, Mosti introduced the National Technology and Innovation Sandbox, which aims to identify and address the political ambiguity that arises with any disruptive new technology.
However, the main obstacle to widespread adoption is more prosaic, namely connectivity.
Although Malaysia has experienced significant growth in the use of information and communication technologies, there is a digital divide that is leading to growing digital inequality, especially for those living in rural areas, poorer states and high-income groups. low income.
Other demographic factors also play a role, with the gap widening for women, the elderly and people with disabilities.
In a recent forum of the Social & Economic Research Initiative (Seri) on blockchain, the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Khairy Jamaluddin not only alluded to the need for better connectivity, but also to the need to create greater awareness of technologies disruptive like the blockchain.
This would include not only public messaging campaigns, but also the development of technological literacy and analytical skills among school students.
Ultimately, there are many digital technologies that guarantee our time and our investment.
Blockchain technology has the potential to positively disrupt the way we conduct healthcare, among other things, but such opportunities can only be seized once we have access to the core infrastructure while mastering the mindset and skills. necessary techniques.
Dr Helmy Haja Mydin is a respiratory physician and CEO of the Social & Economic Research Initiative, a thinktank dedicated to evidence-based policy. For more information, please email [email protected]. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only. The star makes no warranties as to the accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other warranties with respect to the content appearing in this column. The star disclaims any responsibility for any loss, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.
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