How Blockchain Technology Can Revolutionize Patient Medical Data

Technology is growing so fast. The health sector is not left out of the growing trend. That is why the world have witnessed significant value in life expectancy. However, the health sector adoption of technology is only on a vertical note. Vertical technology is a technology that affects only one field. They are lacking in the horizontal front which is technology that is adopted by many fields.

Blockchain technology is new worldwide. When some hear about it, cryptocurrency comes to their mind. However, there are new ways this technology can be deployed. It's role in healthcare are enormous. But a simple application is storing of patients data and retrieval in the most secure way ever. The rate of adoption in other fields is high. Health is yet to key into this. But before we proceed, let us look at what blockchain technology is all about.

Blockchain technology was first developed in 1991. It adoption in cryptocurrency which happens a few years ago was what brought it to timeline.
Read Also: How to get treatment in Nigerian hospital

Satoshi Nakamoto is the name behind cryptocurrency. The name is not tied to an individual but it is believed to be a group of persons who came together to design it. They built it from blockchain technology. It is the new internet that allows digital information or data to be distributed and not copied. Each data is attached to a timestamp. Each data is called a block. Each block is attached to another block in a series.

The data are not stored in a central unit like a server. They are managed by a cluster of computers owned by different persons or organisation. The owners of these computers can be rewarded with token in the form of digital currency. So it is a win-win situation. These computers are called peer-to-peer system. These data are passed from one computer to another in an automatic way until every peer-to-peer computer gets the data. The computer connected to the peer-to-peer system near the users first get the signal from the user and relay it to the others. If there is a cut in one peer-to-peer computer, the others pick up the data and continue. The system automatically partition it's entire workload between participants.

The system is secured. Users have their unique code to access their own data. They can use that code to input data to build a block. The system automatically stamp the data with time and automatically generated a unique code called hash to it. This block now is sent to all the peer-to-peer computer. The data is hidden from any other person except the person is granted permission by the owner. However, the data is transparent for all to see.

To explain, if I send 1 BTC to another person and I have 10 BTC, the system will tell everyone in the system that a user with a code which is not tied to me sent 1 BTC to another user with a code not tied to them. My balance is obvious for all to see making it transparent. No way to manipulate figures.

This is an illustration of blockchain technology. A user can create a piece of data in a computer called block. The block pass through the user computer to the nearest peer-to-peer computer which relay to the other peer-to-peer computer in the system. The peer-to-peer system verify the data. Once verified, the block is added to a chain which is stored across the net. Any attempt to modify the data without the code will alter the hash which will in turn affect the link with the next block hash. The next block hash will also change which will in turn affect the next and the cycle goes on and on. But this is technically not possible making it safe from hackers.

Blockchain technology boast of three things;

1. Transparency
2. Security
3. Decentralized

This is an advantage over centralized system that are easy target of hackers, slow down during software upgrade or get corrupted.

Patient medical data

Blockchain Technology In Digital Currency

Blockchain technology eliminate the need for a middle man in transaction. Banks act as middle men when we want to transact money between us and others or merchant. The peer-to-peer system help to decentralized it. However, the workload is distributed among the peer-to-peer computer. But it is difficult to assign special tasks to a computer. Because of that, new digital currency make use of hierarchy. This makes it a little bit more centralized.

Blockchain Technology In Patient Medical Data

There are several angle blockchain technology can be use in health care. It will be of valuable resource in patient medical data. This is because patient medical data are valuable. They sometimes contain sensitive details. The present method of keeping this data makes them vulnerable to steal. Some are stored in a central server that is easy to hack. This lead to patient deliberate withholding of information for fear of leaking their data to an enemy.

Also, many at times patient visits many hospital and community pharmacy. It is difficult, especially in places like Nigeria to get some patient medical data from hospital to enhance medical attention. It requires another series of questions and answers from the patient to get proper understanding of the patient.

This is where blockchain technology comes in. Patient medical data are not meant for only one hospital or medical doctors. Other hospital where the patient may visit or community pharmacy will need it for proper care of the patient. When a patient medical data are stored using blockchain technology, such data can be retrieved anywhere in the world by any health care personnel authorized by the patient or next of kin. All the patient need to do is provide a unique code to the medical personnel to access the data. Safe, easy and secure.

Now let us go back to digital currency. Digital currency are in the public domain to make them completely transparent. However, patient medical data are not for the public. That is why they can be secured in the private block. However, some people believe that some patient medical data's such as allergies should be in the public block. This is believe will assist in times of emergency as such information is not that bad for others to know.

It is easy for the patient to determine who sees such data by providing their special code to the person. They also have the power to determine if the person gets the data on the public or private block. They can also authorize a third party, say next of kin to grant access to the data.

How Blockchain Technology Works In Patient Data

Blockchain technology in health

Each patient visit will create a new block with time stamp. The block is verified and added to the block chronologically. Each block contains the relevant encrypted data (hash). Any changes made to the data in any block will change the hash. The block will still have the previous hash such that each successive block points to the immediate preceding one.
Read Also: Medical diagnosis with a medical doctor

Limitations

Digital currency has a little above 1 mb space per block. This makes it easy to verify it within 10 minutes. However, 10 minutes is too much for a patient to wait. And besides, patient medical data will be way more than 1 mb. This means the verification time will be longer. Another issue is that digital currency can handle between 7-8 transaction per seconds of which the transaction in health care settings will be higher with medical records. How the system will be able to handle it is still a matter of debate.

A research by J Med Internet Res 2019; 21(6) shows that many patients are still skeptical about the adoption of this method over the traditional method. Although, they accepted that the traditional method is not safe. A reward system to patient for contributing their data to the system will encourage such participation. There are a couple of software companies with project on this. We hope they succeed just to improve the welfare of patients.

Share On Social Media With Family And Friends To Show You Care!