As we move further into the 21st century, technological advances are becoming an increasingly important part of our lives, and nowhere is that more evident than in the healthcare industry. With the potential to save billions of dollars and revolutionise the way we think about data management, blockchain technology has been generating significant buzz in the healthcare sector. 

In fact, a survey by IBM found that more than half of healthcare executives are considering implementing blockchain solutions, with 16% planning to do so. A study by Frost & Sullivan also found that the industry could save an incredible $100 billion annually by 2025 with the adoption of blockchain-based solutions. 

But what exactly is blockchain, and how could it help healthcare organisations improve patient outcomes and drive down costs? In this article, we’ll explore the potential of blockchain technology in healthcare and take a closer look at some of the ways it’s already being used in the industry.

The problem statement

Oh boy, where do we start with healthcare problems? While we should all be very grateful for how advanced our healthcare system has gotten over the years, it certainly still has its troubles. It’s a complicated and often frustrating system that leaves many feeling lost, confused, and downright sick of it.

Source: STAT News

One of the most significant problems in healthcare is the lack of data interoperability. That’s a fancy way of saying that different parts of the healthcare system don’t talk to each other very well. For example, your primary care doctor may not have access to the medical records from the specialist you saw last month. This can lead to redundant tests, incorrect diagnoses, and unnecessary expenses.

Another problem is medical identity theft. Imagine someone stealing your medical identity and using it to get prescription drugs, medical procedures, or even commit insurance fraud. It’s not only a violation of your privacy, but it can also harm your medical history and future care.

The cost of healthcare is another big problem. Medical bills can be astronomical, and many people can’t afford them, leading to financial ruin or untreated illnesses. Furthermore, administrative costs are high due to paperwork, bureaucracy, and legal compliance.

But wait, there’s more! Medical research and development can be slow and costly, and pharmaceutical companies have been known to put profits before patients. Plus, there’s the issue of counterfeit drugs and medical devices making their way into the market.

How blockchain can help healthcare

Now, let’s dive into blockchain! Imagine a digital ledger that’s distributed across a network of computers. Each block on this chain contains unique information and is linked to the previous block, creating an unbreakable chain. It’s like a digital version of those old-fashioned accounting ledgers, but with the added benefit of being transparent, secure, and decentralized. That’s blockchain in a nutshell.

Now, why is blockchain so great for healthcare? For one, it can improve data interoperability by creating a shared database that’s accessible to all authorised parties. This means that your medical records would be securely stored on the blockchain, and healthcare providers could access them easily and accurately. No more lost or missing medical records! Plus, patients would have control over their own data, giving them more autonomy in their healthcare decisions.

Blockchain can also help prevent medical identity theft by creating a tamper-proof record of all medical transactions. Each time a healthcare provider accesses your data, it would be recorded on the blockchain, providing an immutable audit trail of who accessed it and when. This makes it much harder for bad actors to steal your medical identity or commit insurance fraud.

Another benefit of blockchain in healthcare is cost reduction. Administrative costs are high in healthcare due to paperwork, bureaucracy, and legal compliance. Blockchain can automate many of these processes, reducing the need for paperwork and human intervention. Plus, by streamlining processes and increasing transparency, blockchain can help reduce the cost of medical research and development.

Source: DataArt

So, how can blockchain specifically help solve the healthcare problems we mentioned earlier? Well, by creating a secure and interoperable database, blockchain can help overcome the problem of data interoperability. Medical records would be accessible to all authorised parties, and redundant tests and incorrect diagnoses could be minimised. Additionally, blockchain’s tamper-proof ledger can help prevent medical identity theft by creating an immutable record of all medical transactions. And, by automating processes and increasing transparency, blockchain can help reduce administrative costs and improve research and development.

Example use case: MedRec

That all sounds great, but does it actually work? Well, let’s see it put to action in a real-life example. Researchers at MIT have created a blockchain-based system called MedRec that’s taking healthcare data security to the next level.

MedRec is short for “Medical Record-keeping using Blockchain.” This system allows patients to securely store and share their medical records on a tamper-proof blockchain, making it easier for healthcare providers to access the information they need to provide proper care.

Here’s how it works: patients give permission for their medical records to be stored on the blockchain, and they’re encrypted and stored in a decentralized manner, which means that no single entity has control over the data. Healthcare providers can then access the patient’s medical records through a secure portal, allowing them to make more informed decisions about the patient’s care.

So, what are the results of this innovative system? The MedRec team conducted a pilot study with 40 patients at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. They found that the use of blockchain technology improved data access and accuracy, reduced administrative costs, and improved patient privacy. Patients also reported feeling more in control of their healthcare data, which is a huge win in the often-confusing world of healthcare.

But MedRec is just the beginning. With the potential to improve data security and accessibility, reduce costs, and increase patient control over their own data, blockchain technology could transform the healthcare industry as we know it. Who knows, maybe someday we’ll look back on the days of lost medical records and medical identity theft as a thing of the past thanks to blockchain-powered systems like MedRec.

The benefits of blockchain in healthcare

Blockchain technology has the potential to revolutionise the healthcare industry by addressing various issues and providing many benefits. Here are some benefits of using blockchain in healthcare.

• Improved security and privacy of patient data. Blockchain technology provides a decentralized and tamper-proof system for storing and sharing medical records, making it difficult for hackers to breach the system and steal sensitive patient data.
• More efficient and accurate management of medical records. With blockchain technology, medical records can be stored and shared securely and efficiently, reducing the time and costs associated with managing and accessing medical records. This can improve patient care and outcomes by ensuring that doctors have access to accurate and up-to-date patient information.
• Better drug supply chain management. Blockchain technology can provide a transparent and secure system for tracking the movement of drugs from manufacturers to patients, ensuring that they are authentic and not counterfeit. This can improve patient safety and reduce the risk of drug-related harm.
• Improved clinical trial data management. Blockchain technology can provide a secure and transparent system for managing clinical trial data, ensuring that it is accurate and tamper-proof. This can speed up the drug development process, reduce costs, and improve patient outcomes.
• Personalised healthcare and patient engagement. Blockchain technology can provide a secure and decentralized system for patients to manage and control their health data, allowing them to share it with healthcare providers and researchers to receive personalised care and participate in clinical trials.

And those are just the most notable benefits. There are many more benefits to implementing blockchain healthcare. But, there are also risks…

Source: YourStory

The risks of blockchain in healthcare

While blockchain technology has the potential to revolutionise healthcare, it’s not all rainbows and unicorns. Here are some potential risks and challenges involved with implementing blockchain in healthcare on a large scale.

• Regulatory and compliance challenges. We all know that healthcare is a highly regulated industry, and blockchain technology is no exception. Implementing blockchain solutions can create new regulatory and compliance challenges, such as ensuring data privacy and security while sharing sensitive patient data on a decentralized network.
• Integration challenges with existing healthcare systems. Healthcare organisations already have existing IT systems and infrastructure in place, which can make integrating blockchain technology challenging and expensive. This can lead to interoperability issues and cause delays in implementation, frustrating both patients and providers.
• Potential for decreased control over patient data. Blockchain technology can provide patients with greater control over their health data, but it can also potentially decrease the control that healthcare organisations have over patient data. This can create issues with data ownership and access, which can be a real headache for both patients and providers.
• Scalability issues. Blockchain technology is still a young technology, and there are scalability issues that need to be addressed to handle the large amounts of data generated by the healthcare industry. This can create delays and inefficiencies in data processing and sharing, and nobody has time for that.

It’s important to carefully consider these risks and challenges before jumping on the blockchain bandwagon. While blockchain has the potential to transform healthcare, we need to ensure that patient data is protected, and regulatory and compliance requirements are met.

Key takeaways

• Lack of data interoperability, medical identity theft, and high costs are among the biggest problems in the healthcare industry.
• Blockchain technology can improve data interoperability, prevent medical identity theft, reduce administrative costs, and automate processes to improve research and development.
• MedRec, a blockchain-based system created by MIT researchers, has demonstrated the potential of blockchain technology in healthcare by improving data access and accuracy, reducing administrative costs, and improving patient privacy.
• Benefits of blockchain in healthcare include improved security and privacy of patient data, efficient and accurate management of medical records, and increased patient control over their own data.

So, blockchain technology provides a secure, decentralized, and tamper-proof system for storing and sharing medical records, making it difficult for hackers to breach the system and steal sensitive patient data. By improving data interoperability, reducing administrative costs, and automating processes, blockchain has the potential to revolutionise the healthcare industry. MedRec is just the beginning, and with continued innovation, blockchain-powered systems like MedRec could help solve some of the biggest problems in the healthcare industry, and patients could gain more control over their own healthcare data.

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