Why is the Blockchain not Used for Medical Records
Data and medical record protection are major pain points of the healthcare industry. However, blockchain technology in healthcare can provide a solution that creates a balance between medical record privacy and convenient access to data.
Although blockchain is not used for medical records yet, the technology has the potential to help the healthcare service industry devise a foolproof data handling and storage mechanism.
What Is Blockchain in Healthcare?
Electronic Health Records (EHRs) handling requires NEMTs and healthcare facilities to abide by mandatory laws by HIPAA to handle patient records safely. However, the laws may vary from one state to another. Therefore, there is no standard model to ensure safety.
Blockchain technology in healthcare can help service providers create their own smart contracts on Blockchain platforms to execute contracts and deals if all the conditions are met. The patients will share information in a closed and secure peer-to-peer network that is not vulnerable to hacking and cybercrime attempts.
If appropriately implemented, a blockchain-based solution to handle medical records will create a secure, accessible, and accurate EHR approach.
Backing up your medical records with blockchain for healthcare will ensure that once you input the information, no one will be able to tamper with it. Medical records maintained on a blockchain network will also help you offer an incentive to patients so they can make healthier life choices.
For instance, you can set up rewards on blockchain SMART Contract that the patients will be able to unlock if they make certain healthy lifestyle changes.
Blockchain and Potential Benefits for Medical Record Handling
Blockchain is an emerging and innovative technology that gives the owner of the data complete control over its sharing and transmission. It will be up to the patient to share the level of information they feel comfortable with. If you are a healthcare service provider, you will also be able to use blockchain technology in healthcare for efficient and smooth medical record handling and storage.
You will also be able to provide secure access to authorized users without the risk of a cyber attack. Using blockchain in healthcare technology will allow you to enhance your data sharing, exchange, transmission, and storage. The technology can provide real-time updates and access when all protocols are correctly implemented.
When you put your medical records on a blockchain, it will store information on the network in a completely immutable way. The best part is that no perpetrators will be able to tamper or get away with your medical records.
Blockchain-based medical records will also be helpful for healthcare professionals. For example, doctors and nurses will be able to control the flow of information via a single trusted blockchain platform. All the parties, i.e., patients, healthcare service providers, doctors, nurses, and NEMT staff, will be able to see the same information in real-time.
If a single party updates the info, there is no notification required for others, as these changes will be visible to everyone instantly.
This will also give the medical healthcare team confidence that the information they receive about a patient is accurate as well as up to date. However, blockchain is not used for medical records as of yet. This is because this technology is still in the infancy stage, and there are no solutions available for the mainstream healthcare industry.
Conclusion
Although blockchain technology implementation in medical record handling may be a few years away from us, your healthcare organization can still leverage other foolproof solutions to ensure the protection and integrity of your patient’s medical records.
If you are looking for a HIPAA-approved solution for the automation of medical record handling, ISI Technology can help. We understand how trivial and critical information handling and privacy are in the healthcare industry. Therefore, we are offering comprehensive solutions with advanced algorithms, such as our NEMT software RouteGenie.
You will be able to secure the medical records and other financial data pertaining to your customers. From medical record-keeping to billing and routing to dispatching, ISI Technology can help you as a software provider in NEMT and medical billing industries.
