Is blockchain the cure for regenerating the current EHRs?
Did you know that the first EHR (Electronic health records system) ever was launched back in 1972?
Since then, there has always been an obvious love/hate relationship between the health providers around the globe and the EHRs. That’s because, from one hand, the physicians have a chance to get more accurate, faster, and updated information about each patient, and from the other hand, the current Electronic health records are cumbrous, hefty and tend to slow the whole process down.
Also, the patients’ medical information is usually kept and controlled by each one’s local doctor which means these records are not instantly accessible to providers outside of this particular medical facility.
However, there are surely many things to love about EHRs.
In brief, they provide essential data which means more accurate diagnoses and improved health services.
Moreover, data sharing lowers the chance of duplicate testing and it’s a real time and money saver!
Besides, there is a common belief that increased patient participation in their own health can sustain healthier lifestyles and more regular use of preventative care.
Now… imagine keeping all the positive things about the Electronic health records and get rid of their negative features. Sounds too tempting to be true, right?
In fact, sophisticated blockchain technology is considered as the solution that will keep the patient’s medical info protected and will allow people to take ownership of their own health data. Further, the adoption of the innovative technology will enable this data to be moved securely with them — to every clinic, public hospital or ED around the world.
Why blockchain technology will eventually displace current EHRs?
It’s more than evident now that patients and practitioners do not tolerate the deficiency of the current EHRs.
Even though the expansion in blockchain utility is a continuous process (so please be patient), it’s essentially more people to realize the advantages of the blockchain-based EHRs in the future.
To start, utilizing blockchain implies that all the medical data (such as test results, patient name, chronic illnesses etc.) will be encrypted and only be obtained by each patient’s private key. So, even if the database is hacked, the patient’s data will be unreadable as each interaction on the distributed ledger is ensured using cryptography.
Additionally, owing to the universal blockchain protocols, the applications in healthcare would all be compatible, never bending the medical information itself.
Moreover, the health providers could securely obtain each patient’s information universally, and you will be able to carry it with you no matter if you change insurance company, ED, country of residence and your doctor respectively.
Last but not least, thanks to their private key, the patients will easily grant access to their own Electronic health records and to various health providers with the use of Smart Contracts (on the principle — access allowed from one user to another).
Stopping point
The sophisticated and intuitive blockchain technology is most probably the elixir that will regenerate the current, lumbering EHRs.
Gladly, there are several companies and start-ups that develop distributed ledger technology to store patient health records, however, their common problem is that each of them is focusing on just one feature. That’s not the case of CURES Token — the complete, encompassing all stakeholders, decentralizing healthcare platform.
Eager to learn more?
Information from A to Z about the project can be found on the website of CURES Token.
