Blockchain is a revolutionary technology that is transforming many things, including the way people think about healthcare. In the field of medicine, blockhain’s powerful computational ability not only securely encrypts patient data but it can also manage the outbreak of diseases. One recent example of its success is the outbreak of the Zika virus. With blockchain available as a tool, researchers were able to identify and to contain the disease quickly using custom blockchain-based medical records systems, dramatically reducing the number of cases to a level not seen in recent decades.
While many hospitals remain hesitant to use this new technology, there is no doubt blockchain has the potential to revolutionize healthcare as we know it. With its ability to reduce cost and to improve patient care, it is only a matter of time before this innovative technology becomes an essential part of the healthcare system.
One example of a country whose healthcare system has embraced this technology is Estonia. Estonia is relatively small – roughly the size of Tennessee, with a population of only about one million people – yet it has managed to integrate blockchain technology into its healthcare system. In 2012, Estonia became the first country to use blockchain for healthcare, with a hybrid of blockchain-based medical cyber technologies, including an e-prescription system, patient data management systems and a secure messaging system for communicating between different medical organizations.
Currently, all of Estonia’s healthcare billing is handled on a blockchain, 95% of health information is ledger-based, and 99% of all prescription information is digital. This has resulted in a massively streamlined, efficient healthcare system that is the envy of the world.
With such success stories, it is plain that blockchain has the potential to transform healthcare as we know it. So, it should be no surprise to start hearing more about “Hash” and “Encryption” in hospitals.
Whether you are a patient, a doctor or a researcher, blockchain has something to offer. So keep your heartbeats steady and watch for lines blockchain protected data – they are coming soon!
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