Could Blockchain Be the Future of EHR Technology? The new Blockchain system could be the future of EHR technology, and medical-legal entities, and medical record review companies are all interested.
According to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Walmart has been awarded a patent for a system that would store medical records on a blockchain from a wearable device. This system would enable healthcare providers to retrieve medical data from a patient who is unable to communicate. Just as any medical or legal professional, a medical record review company would also be interested in this novel system. The patient’s medical records would be stored on a blockchain that can be accessed via a device worn by the patient, which first responders could access with an RFID scanner. There are 3 parts to this system: a wearable device that stores the blockchain; a biometric scanner for an individual’s biometric signature; and an RFID scanner to scan the wearable device, ideally a wrist band or bracelet. First responders would scan the device to access an encrypted private key. Using the biometric identifier, they would decrypt the private key and retrieve the patient’s records with a second public key. The medical information thus retrieved can be shared across the healthcare team, so that even if the patient is transported from one medical setting to another, the data will be available to the care providers before the patient’s arrival. Walmart is considering purchasing health insurer Humana (according to Fortune), and if the new blockchain www.mosmedicalrecordreview.com
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medical record system proves viable, a partnership with Humana would ensure a valuable data repository. Blockchain is the basis of crypto currencies such as bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin. These keep track of all transactions in a distributed ledger, a log where millions of computers all hold a piece of and authenticate with one another. A node (computer) adds a piece of data called a block to the chain or ledger, and the other nearby nodes start talking to each other distributing the updated ledger. Privacy is an important concern, however, in this type of system. When blockchain is used for medical data storage, privacy must be ensured. MedRec, an MIT research project plans to use the blockchain in a slightly different way. In this, the system would store “pointers” instead of specific data in the blockchain. The sensitive medical data is kept securely in the providers’ existing data storage infrastructure. MedRec will be more of an index, a high-tech, high security card catalog physicians can use to look up a patient’s medical history. Physicians would be able to easily understand what care the patient received most recently, when medications were administered, and what the current medications are. Even if the patient travels to an urgent care clinic in another location, the care team there would have a clear idea of the treatments provided and be able to access all required data.
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The model developed by MedRec is an innovative approach to blockchain technology and is a pointer towards what the future of medical records management could be like. It could turn out to be an effective solution to address the present-day EHR related problems and promote interoperability as well as comprehensiveness. An efficient, interoperable medical record system is something medical-legal entities, medical record retrieval companies, and others that need access to medical records are eagerly awaiting.
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