Blockchain Expo Global
It was a great privilege once again to be a part of the discussions in how blockchain aims to transform healthcare. London Olympia is a fantastic venue and there were thousands of participants engaging in some incredibly important conversations.
I would like to thanks Tina Woods, Founder and CEO of Collider Health who moderated the panel which included Jim Nasr (VP Technology and Innovation, Synchrogenix), Karim Babay (CEO HealthSapiens) and Dr Sarvi Banisadr (Founder, Holding Your Hand, Ltd). I was of course there representing Medicalchain.
In broad terms, the focus of our conversations was framed around how blockchain implementation might promote citizen driven health, build collaborative ecosystems and deliver care with less friction. I think it’s fair to say we all remain cautiously optimistic about the potential for this technology, appreciating its immaturity and implementation challenges. In spite of this, however, the consensus remains that the introduction of blockchain technology is a revolutionary paradigm shift whereby trust and transactions can be brokered, if we get it right.
We discussed the issues surrounding patient centred care and how society might adapt to this new notion. Democratisation of medicine is a significant departure from the current mental models employed by patients and doctors. It is clear that widespread acceptance will not occur overnight.
Everyone agreed that sharing of data for process innovation and cost/efficiency improvements is needed and that the benefits far outweigh the imagined risks. For coopetition to succeed however, organisations need to establish clear communication channels, agreed rules and procedures. It is also imperative that all parties have something of value to share and do so willingly and in a manner that is transparent. Blockchain technology promises to provide these critical components — thus allowing coopetition where previously there may only have been perceived threat.
The panel discussion was a great opportunity to learn what others are doing in this space and to concretise thinking for how best to proceed successfully. I sincerely hope the collaboration and open dialogues continue as we build the Medicalchain ecosystem and hopefully a vastly improved healthcare service for all.
