New Frontiers in Communication and Intelligent Systems
Utilisation of Blockchain Technology for Better Health Outcomes during COVID-19
Authors: Subarna Chakraborty and SM Kadri
Publishing Date: 30-04-2022
ISBN: 978-81-95502-00-4
Abstract
Blockchain holds immense potential in the field of healthcare as it can make decrease costs, mitigate inefficient practices and prevent patient data breaches. A blockchain is a continuous digital record of transactions that are anonymous to third party users and can be stored on multiple devices. If implemented in the healthcare sector, blockchains can improve outcomes of activities such as infection control and prevention for better management during a pandemic, and also for safer storage of patient data and electronic health records. The use of this technology can help in sharing cryptographically secured data between multiple users for better data assimilation between multiple organizations, especially during COVID-19. Moreover, this technological innovation can provide affordable patient-centred outcomes by sharing clinical data for the development of precision medicine. Apart from medical data management, it can also be used in drug development and clinical trials by making each step more reliable through time-stamping and recording all data inputs. Blockchain can also help keep a record to supply chain operations within hospitals and maintain records of medical equipment, drugs and other necessary stocks. Although blockchain is a promising technological advancement, it may still face several challenges, especially in low and middle-income countries. The usage of an internet source is essential for this advancement and it will take time for all healthcare bodies to transition to this technology by leaving paper-based data record-keeping approaches.
Keywords
Blockchain, Bitcoin, Cryptocurrency.
Cite as
Subarna Chakraborty and SM Kadri, "Utilisation of Blockchain Technology for Better Health Outcomes during COVID-19", In: Rahul Srivastava and Aditya Kr. Singh Pundir (eds), New Frontiers in Communication and Intelligent Systems, SCRS, India, 2022, pp. 227-239. https://doi.org/10.52458/978-81-95502-00-4-25