Blockchain Technology in the Healthcare

Eva Malichova and Emese Tokarcikova

Description

Keywords: blockchain, technology, healthcare, health data

H2020 challenge: Health, demographic change and wellbeing

Knowledge and skills (P: prerequisite; D: desirable, but not necessary): Technical and programming knowledge (P), Interest in new technologies (P), Analytical skills (P), Basics of entrepreneurship (P), Basics of management and marketing (D), Presentation skills (D), Ability to work in a team (D)

Introduction
Sources

Introduction

Generally, the level of healthcare is an important determinant of wellbeing of people all around the world. Fragmented data, incomplete records, lack of interoperability, delayed communication, protection of privacy, etc. increase the costs of healthcare every year and create an urgent request for change.

New technology platforms, which enable secure communication, use and exchange of data among healthcare organizations and their stakeholders, have the potential to transform healthcare. One of them, the Blockchain technology, can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare services. According to the analysis performed by Deloitte [1], Blockchain is placing the patient at the center of the healthcare ecosystem and it increases the security, privacy, and interoperability of health data. This technology could provide a new model for health information exchanges by making electronic medical records more efficient, disintermediated and secure [2][3]. Also, the Blockchain technology could offer a framework for patient secure interaction with stakeholders in healthcare system [4], as well as help to improve care coordination and supplies of medicines, create the possibility of remote and autonomous diagnosing, and reduce costs.

The entrepreneurial case can be realized through the identification of those specific healthcare areas where the usage of Blockchain could generate and add value, which results in the success of the enterprise. Use of the proposed solution needs to be discussed from several perspectives – technical, business and societal, so that possible strengths and weaknesses of this concept can be identified.

Sources

[1] Deloitte, “Blockchain: Opportunities for health care. A new model for health information exchanges,”Deloitte. [Online]. Available: https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/public-sector/articles/blockchain-opportunities-for-health-care.html. [Accessed: Jan. 15, 2019].

[2] Abdullah Al Omar et al., “Privacy-friendly platform for healthcare data in cloud based on blockchain environment”, Future Generation Computer Systems, Vol.95, p. 511-521. Available: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.future.2018.12.044. [Accessed: Jan. 15, 2019].

[3] Zhang, P., Schmidt, D.C., White, J and Lenz, G.,”Chapter One – Blockchain Technology Use Cases in Healthcare,” Advances in Computers, Vol.11, p. 1-41. Available: https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.adcom.2018.03.006 [Accessed: Jan. 15, 2019].

[4] Gordon, W.J. and Catalinide, C., “Blockchain technology for healthcare: Facilitating the transition to patient-driven interoperability,” Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal, Vol. 16, p. 224-230. Available: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csbj.2018.06.003. [Accessed: Jan. 15, 2019].

[5] Koshechkin K.A., Klimenko G.S., Ryabkov I.V. and Kozhin P.B., „Scope for the Application of Blockchain in the Public Healthcare of the Russian Federation“, Procedia Computer Science, Vol. 126, p. 1323 – 1328. Available: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2018.08.082. [Accessed: Jan. 15, 2019].

[6] Joyce, A. and Paquin, R.L., “The triple layered business model canvas: A tool to design more sustainable business models,“Journal of Cleaner Production, Vol. 135, p. 1474 – 1486. Available: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.06.067. [Accessed: Jan. 15, 2019].

Business and IT

Blockchain in Healthcare

Questions that need answers

Technical aspect

Blockchain technology is a type of an open-distributed ledge allowing digital information to be distributed but not copied. It is a peer-to-peer network without a central server. The database contains data about transactions between users. Transactions are verified by the miners and information is distributed on each network member host [5].

Even though the Blockchain was invented to serve as the public transaction ledger of the digital currency Bitcoin, this technology has several applications also in other fields as a secure and cost-effective method for management of digital transactions of all types.

Within the Entrepreneurial Case, the student team should:

identify areas of healthcare (subject, relations, criteria etc.),
provide more details and suggestions for potential implementation of Blockchain technology in the field of healthcare,
specify the requirements and circumstances of the solution.

Business aspect

When you want to create a successful business strategy for a start-up to fulfil the idea, your student team as a business entity needs to offer something that creates new value for the customers.

Your student team should brainstorm and find relevant answers to questions as:

What is the added value of your product?
Which segments of customers are you creating value for and what are their characteristics, needs, expectations, possibilities and options?
Which marketing tools are suitable for approaching potential customers?
What is your strategy for the selling and distribution of your product?
Who are your potential business partners?
What are the costs of your solution and your pricing strategy?

Similarly, with the application of the CANVAS business model, further develop the areas such as the Value Proposition, Channels, Customer Relationships, Revenue Streams, Key Resources, Key Activities, Key Partnerships and the Cost Structure [6].

Social aspect

Student teams will need to identify positive or negative impacts of the application of Blockchain in healthcare on society and answer questions as:

How can you spread information about Blockchain and its advantages in healthcare among people?
How can you measure and describe social impacts of your solution?
How can you improve positive influence of your solution on society as a whole?

Entrepreneurial Case Expert