Blockchain technology in healthcare system

We've all seen the different implications and uses that blockchain and decentralized technologies have, perhaps in a brand new way of finances or social networks, such as Steemit, but they can also improve a lot more things that are vital to us and need some spice up on their old methods. Applying blockchain technology to healthcare system can bring huge improvements.

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Basic considerations about healthcare system

All healthcare information has its particular considerations that should be taken into account: records are huge, privacy should be provided to the different patients and it's vital to keep a clean and safe record before providing any sort of treatment or medicine to someone. Bearing all this in mind, it becomes quite a challenge to actually find a way to keep all this requirements at once... till now.

Personal data has been an issue lately, but when it comes to healthcare data, it's mandatory to take a step forward and aim to keep record of everything in simple, easy to understand and easily retrievable records. That's one of the biggest drawbacks that this industry has to face on a daily basis.

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How can blockchain technology help us here?!

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Blockchain technology brings up to the table several improvements when it comes to data:

• Operational and regulatory verification on data
• It allows to keep track and traceability on all sorts of data
• Visibility and integrity of records

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With all this in mind, it sounds quite fair to state that healthcare would be incredibily benefited from implementing this kind of technology. There are a couple of main issues and challenges to be improved, such as:

🟣 Medical records and data collection

It's not just about patient's chronological records, all sorts of medical technology create different sets of data and information that should be stored in a safe and easy to retrieve place. As well as this, all pharmaceutical activity and development create new records all the time.

Here, blockchain would be the best solution as it allows proper portability of information and a very safe track of who can access that information. Patients could use their medical records any place in the world and be sure that their diagnosis are being properly done according to their health background. Sounds quite interesting right from the start, doesn't it?

🟣 Interoperability of data

There are as many ways of providing data as doctors over the world, which creates a huge problem when it comes to using someone else's stored data. This information will probably be unconsistent or difficult to understand and also, sharing is an important issue.

When implementing blockchain, patients can be identified in an easier way, something that's quite innovative if we take into account that so far there hasn't been much background work on collaborating towards all medical institutions to provide this easy-to-access and crystal clear records.

🟣 Database for socioeconomic factors that take part in health issues

As we all know, all socioeconomic factors are related to environment, social issues and economic factors that people are influenced by. By having this information stored in a safe place, we can start working on indicators to actually target people's issues and create brand new (and efficient) medical and health management programs.

This would mean a huge improvement towards all governments in attacking what their country seems to be suffering. Another example of this, would be with the huge breakout related to Covid-19, statistics could have been a lot easier to keep track of and there would have been significan information on how the different variables of the virus have attacked each country.

🟣 Medications supply

By lacking clear records on the stocks and traceability of drugs, there are two problems that blockchain can help with:

• Help reduce counterfeit drugs being sold, as medical institutions would have the opportunity to check if what they're buying is acctually genuine and hasn't suffered any alterations on the way to the hospital.

• Keep track of what drugs a patient needs to be subministrated with. This is vital, as records are not always so clear, medications can get mixed up and the results might not be the suitable ones.

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Conclution

By all stated above, we can clearly see that all this brand new technologies can improve a lot more areas of our life that are way important and might be a bit old fashioned.

Blockchain technology in health matters would mean a more transparent and easy way of accesing information, bringing a huge improvement not only to patients, as they'd be able to ahve a safe record of all their medical background whenever and wherever they need it, but also for other issues as keeping track of medication being produced worldwide and to keep track of all socioeconomic factors that might affect people's lives.

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It's been so long since I didn't take part in CryptoAcademy!! It's so good to be back! :)

Thank you a lot @yohan2on for bringing this topic up, it's really nice to see how blockchain can improve our lives in such different ways, it has been definitely food for thought!