Difference between revisions of "The Blockchain in Healthcare"

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== Potential Use Cases in Healthcare ==
 
== Potential Use Cases in Healthcare ==
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Though there has yet to be a breakthrough report or use-case for blockchain technology in healthcare, there are many potential ways that the blockchain could be implemented within the current healthcare structure.  Any list will likely be incomplete, but these examples represent some of the published and available literature on blockchain implementations in health.
  
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* Health Information Exchange (HIE) - One major area that blockchains may be able to facilitate is the secure access to and communication of patient health records between individuals and institutions. There have been multiple white papers published on the topic, including a group from the Mayo Clinic who described a system for patient information exchange based on blockchain technology that would allow patient-controlled access to records across institutions using Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources
  
 
== Other Blockchain Use Cases ==
 
== Other Blockchain Use Cases ==

Revision as of 17:18, 21 October 2016

The blockchain is an idea centered around the concept of a secure, digital ledger system that provides a system for efficient, auditable transactions of almost any type between entities. All information related to blockchain transactions is at once both independently verifiable by all (even outside) parties as correct and also inscrutable to entities without explicit permission. The first and probably most well-known implementation of blockchain technology is Bitcoin [1].


What is the Blockchain?

Security

Potential Use Cases in Healthcare

Though there has yet to be a breakthrough report or use-case for blockchain technology in healthcare, there are many potential ways that the blockchain could be implemented within the current healthcare structure. Any list will likely be incomplete, but these examples represent some of the published and available literature on blockchain implementations in health.

  • Health Information Exchange (HIE) - One major area that blockchains may be able to facilitate is the secure access to and communication of patient health records between individuals and institutions. There have been multiple white papers published on the topic, including a group from the Mayo Clinic who described a system for patient information exchange based on blockchain technology that would allow patient-controlled access to records across institutions using Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources

Other Blockchain Use Cases

Cryptocurrency

Bitcoin (BTC) was the first cryptocurrency based on the blockchain, and was developed by someone calling himself Satoshi Nakamoto. The protocol was introduced in 2008 after the publication of a white paper describing the algorithm and the mechanisms for generation and distribution of BTC.

Smart Contracts

Securities Exchanges

Submitted by Ben Orwoll