All About Blockchain Security 2| Blockchain Security Benefits and Impact in Healthcare| Homework

INTRODUCTION

The emergence of cryptocurrencies especially bitcoin, which is the most widely known as at now, has made payment of good and services quite easier and more efficient. This is due to it's limitation, anonymity and decentralization trait.
Due to this, crypto have gained world wide fame. The fame cryptocurrencies have can also be attributed to the fact that, they promise strong security with the chance to solve the various problems within the industries such as cyber attacks.
Due to this, many industries have adopted this new way of transaction to secure information, keep records safe and strengthen their privacy in terms of finances and other info.

One of these industries who have obviously adopted the use of blockchain is the healthcare industry.
And it's no surprising since it has actually enhanced the healthcare industry in so many ways and below are some of the benefits of blockchain in healthcare;

*Safe and Better keeping of Records

Medical records like the Electronic Medical Records(EMR) and Electronic Health Records(EHR) have been more safe with the introduction of blockchain in the health industry.
Blockchain information is being kept on a chain and distributed across several ledgers on numerous nodes. Since the arithmetic algorithm behind the process is extremely complex, it makes it difficult for records to be changed easily unless intentionally done. This is a way blockchain has helped the health industry because records are now safer than just keeping them on computers or in book files(in some poor facilities). There is even a healthcare blockchain-based framework, Ancile which uses ethereum smart contracts to achieve data privacy, security, access control and interoperability of EMRs.

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*Remote Patient Monitoring

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Since remote patient monitoring requires monitoring a patient's health status even though he is or she is currently not available at the healthcare facility, many faults and mistakes can occur. But with blockchain, it has been easier to do this by collection of of patient's medical data through body area sensors and IoT(Internet of Things) devices. Blockchain play a role by storing, sharing and retrieving the data that has been collected and also making sure the data are always super accurate without any flaws whatsoever.
In this context, a group here presents an application where mobile devices are used to transmit dat to a blockchain-based application on Hyperledger Fabric.

*Pharmaceutical Supply chain

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This is the way through which prescription drugs are manufactured and delivered to sick people.
Sometimes wrong prescriptions and inadequate drugs are sent to patients which always end up with critical consequences for the patients and sometimes the manufacturers.
With blockchain technology, these calamities are reducing gradually. And it's fair to say a health facility which can undergo this supply chain procedure is capable of using the blockchain to make things more efficient.
Another group have presented a startup here that uses blockchain to achieve immutability. The startup creates public accessibility of the temperature records of drugs or pills during their transportation.
Other startups also take care of wrong prescriptions and so on which has made the supply chain a lot safer.

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*Safeguarding genomics

Since many industries or companies are bringing DNA sequencing to the population, stealing of genomic data or information has become a very major problem at hand.
But with the help of blockchain, these thefts can be eliminated and even further make provisions for an online marketplace where medical officers and scientists can buy genomic info for their numerous research works. This will enhance safe commerce and also eradicate expensive middlemen.
Some of the blockchains that are used currently are Ethereum and Hyperledger Fabric.

*Disease Tracking and Outbreak tracking

Another usefulness of the blockchain is how easy it has made tracking diseases and outbreaks. The superb capabilities of blockchain has made disease reporting and the exploration of disease pattern, origins and transmission parameters quite easy and more efficient. It also helps in the contact tracing of diseases.

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CONCLUSION

Even though blockchain seems good for the healthcare, it just cannot be afforded by all facilities and will take a great deal of time for it to stand firm in the system.
Also, though blockchain offers inbuilt protection against others, it is readily vulnerable to attacks so intensive attention must be paid to the information security used in the healthcare. Moreover, public blockchains cannot be used to store private info.
All these show that though blockchain can be helpful and have positive impact on the healthcare, it can also bring disastrous repercussions if intensive care is not taken.
But there is no doubting the fact that blockchain evolution has changed the world in a good way, and still is making the world a better place.

This link shows more ways on how blockchain has made the healthcare more efficient

Thank you for your attention professor @gbenga