19 The Analysis of Blockchain Technology

19.1 Introduction

Blockchain technology is an important innovation in our society that provides us with an easier way of providing care in the medical field. Blockchain technology is one of the newer technologies being implemented into our healthcare system that benefits not only healthcare workers but patients as well. This technology in the medical field has affected society in a positive manner as it provides efficiency for those who use it (Mettler, 2016). While society should not depend on blockchain technology for work, this technology is one that has contributed to advancements in the medical field as it protects and secures medical files, provides us with a more accurate depiction on patients, and efficiently manages medical supplies.

Within this chapter, we will discuss the origin of block chain technology, the development of the technology over time, how block chain technology works, the future possibilities, and the overall impact this technology has on society. This technology allows society to have the advantage to restrict access to those not allowed to obtain the secured information. The development of our blockchain security has created a convenience and has helped to build a technology that society can fully rely on.

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19.2 What is Blockchain Technology?

Blockchain technology is a system that records and secures information primarily used in the healthcare system. It provides us with an advanced way to efficiently organize by creating a network, or chain, of records of patient files, patient histories and descriptions, and medical supplies (Mettler, 2016). Overall, this technology provides the most secure environment that helps to maintain and store health information.

Blockchain technology has been described as similar to artificial intelligence as it has the ability and capacity to store extensive amounts of information over a private network that helps to resolve the issue of authentication. This information is then stored in a chain of networks within computers (Elsevier, 2021). Consider the amount of times the average person changes health insurances, doctors, or even the hospital they receive care from. Blockchain allows for the quick transfer of medical information from one place to another and the ability to maintain data and history on a patient.

To ensure the safety and security of this technology there are three main processes taken to test the reliability of blockchain. The first step involves the integration testing of the blockchain testing. Integration testing tells us if this technology is compatible with medical file systems already in place and if the transition to blockchain would be secure and without any issues. It also tells us if we are to have the ability to communicate easily with this technology in an accurate manner. Next, the testing of the network nodes, the basic units of the network structure, meets the protocol for the correct authentication of security necessary for medical information. Every single node’s function is checked in order for it to fully function properly in the healthcare industry. The final step is to check for the network latency, the measure of delay the network may experience, as it tells us how the performance of the blockchain system will be (Mashatan, 2020). This is vital to ensure that patients and workers are able to securely share medical information.

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19.3 History of Blockchain Technology

Blockchain technology was first introduced to be used in cryptocurrency and bitcoin in 2008. At first this innovation provided society with a ledger that was more accurate than ever before. Although it started with bitcoin, it gained attention outside of this industry as well (Mashatan, 2020). Blockchain instilled trust within the public as this was the first time people were able to track their data on transactions (Elsevier, 2021). Satoshi Nakamoto, one of the founders of bitcoin, understood the importance of establishing a network of trust and in 2008 published an article explaining to society the connection between security and blockchain technology within the bitcoin industry (Yoon, 2021). As more and more people began to build trust in this machinery, it quickly became the primary security system within the bitcoin industry.

It was not until 2012 that this technology was incorporated into the healthcare industry as many people were advocating for it. This innovation started to gain attention because of its ability to distribute information securely. Blockchain technology was used in the healthcare industry as people found themselves struggling to create a solution for the overload of work that came with maintaining medical files for many patients in a secure manner (Mashatan, 2020). This innovation quickly was encouraged to be used within the healthcare industry to not only support healthcare workers but also the patients themselves.

Blockchain promised a way for any industry to improve business outcomes and to capture new potential sources of profit. However, the most important implementation of this innovation is the healthcare field. Blockchain was developed into hospitals and even physician care institutions. This technology was starting to bring people closer together as they felt secure in medical care. Statistics indicate that about 1 in 5 hospitals now have blockchain technology as it has expanded across the medical industry very quickly (Mashatan, 2020). This technology will continue to grow larger in the field because it is becoming more familiar and advocated for not only by medical workers but by society as well.

19.4 Blockchain Technology’s Impact on Society

19.4.1 Opportunities created with Blockchain Technology

Blockchain technology creates many benefits for patients and healthcare providers by including an enhancement of security, privacy, and putting patients as the main priority. The medical data management system that has been created has enhanced how quickly and accurately we are able to create a depiction of patients. The technology has been proven to lower costs and improve patient care and outcomes as it creates a better use of healthcare data within the medical field (Attaran, 2020).

Because it allows the healthcare industry to continuously handle many types of information such as DNA data, personal information, and medical history, block chain has transformed the area of organ transplants. By providing a more accurate match which makes the transplants simpler and safer than ever (Attaran, 2020).

Just as the healthcare industry is able to access these documents, patients also have the ability to manage their own records anywhere at any given time. This storing of information guarantees the best service possible as there is no doubt of privacy for people. This innovation allows us to access and share patient medical records with a guaranteed restriction of the information.

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19.4.2 Challenges faced with Blockchain Technology

One of the main challenges society faces with blockchain technology is that it is continuously being redeveloped and redefined in order to meet the highest expectation of security in the healthcare industry. While this innovation is able to retain so much information, eventually there is a limitation due to data storage. The data storage can only hold a certain amount of information and has led to cases of information decay because of the over capacity of data in it (Attaran, 2020). The healthcare industry has adapted to relying on this technology and therefore takes advantage of the fact that it can complete work easier and faster than the average person.

While this technology has been known to lower costs for the healthcare industry, it has also shown to increase it in certain aspects as well. Some hospitals or healthcare businesses simply cannot afford to maintain the full effect of blockchain technology, and are left to continue with the securing of information themselves (Attaran, 2020). However, as this technology has become more popular, it is being pushed as the primary security system for all healthcare industries to use. This causes those who simply cannot afford the machinery behind.

19.5 A Future Outlook on BlockChain Technology

It is likely that this technology shows that it will continue to provide the best security possible as data shows that many organizations are wanting to combine their technologies with this one to create an even more advanced way of securing information. IoT, Internet of Things, is the next step innovators are willing to incorporate with blockchain because it would allow us to extend information to not only blockchain systems but to smartphones, wearable devices, smart homes, and more (Benlamri, 2019) . This would also allow us to interact with one another virtually and have the ability to communicate through devices. During a time, such as a pandemic, this would be very helpful for those who are unable to meet with doctors as the medical files and history can be fully accessed from anywhere (Haleem, 2020). Furthermore, IoT would provide us with an even higher security than blockchain has now which is important if we are to add more files into these systems. This system combined with blockchain would create an even more advanced network that not only depicts and recognizes what specific medicines are needed based on the patient but also organizes the medicine supply (Mashatan, 2020). IoT and blockchain together are more cost efficient as well and altogether could help save millions of dollars within the healthcare industry.

It is possible that this technology could also potentially create a newer, more intelligent healthcare system for patients. For example, would enable researchers to easily find more specific aspects of patients with chronic diseases (Mashatan, 2020). It seems likely that our society would become completely dependent on this technology as it would establish a system that saves more time and resources but also beneficial changes in communication in healthcare. The Gem has already initiated a platform similar to such that has produced the capacity to track patients and their latest medical interactions. However this company imagines that a collaboration of their network and block chain technology’s great benefits for the medical field would allow for the building of a new healthcare infrastructure, all under blockchain.

Society will continue to use blockchain technology throughout the years if it is to continue to remain effective and advance not only the healthcare industry but also in the way in which people are able to work easier. The potential that blockchain has is endless but it is sure that society will want it to extend the growth and development of this innovation.

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Chapter Summary

Blockchain technology has revolutionized the way in which we are able to provide reliable patient information in the medical field. It has made data more accessible for workers and patients which overall creates a boundary of comfort and trust between the two. Despite the downsides of this technology, it is still becoming more modernized today in order to keep up with societal needs. Blockchain technology is the most modernized network in our healthcare industry to help secure medical information in the most accurate and efficient manner. This innovation was developed alongside bitcoin as many people saw positive results from bitcoin then implemented into our medical field. Blockchain within our healthcare industry has created advantages such as improving patient care, lowering costs, and even accurately matching organs.  However, setbacks were also created from this technology including a limitation in data storage, reliability of this technology, and even affordability. The future outcomes for this technology are endless as the technology is already becoming more familiar in healthcare and requested more by society. Blockchain technology will continue to be developed throughout the years simply because the healthcare industry has benefited entirely by utilizing it and it creates an overall positive effect for people.

References

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Elsevier. (2021). Medi-Block record: Secure data sharing using block chain technology. 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.imu.2021.100624

Farouk, A., Alahmadi, A., Ghose, S., & Mashatan, A. (2020). Blockchain platform for industrial healthcare: Vision and future opportunities. Computer Communications, 154, 223–235. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comcom.2020.02.058

Khezr, S., Moniruzzaman, M., Yassine, A., & Benlamri, R. (2019). Blockchain Technology in Healthcare: A Comprehensive Review and Directions for Future Research. Applied Sciences, 9(9), 1736. https://doi.org/10.3390/app9091736

Mettler, M. (2016). Blockchain technology in healthcare: The revolution starts here. 2016 IEEE 18th International Conference on E-Health Networking, Applications and Services (Healthcom). https://doi.org/10.1109/healthcom.2016.7749510

Sharma, A., Bahl, S., Bagha, A. K., Javaid, M., Shukla, D. K., & Haleem, A. (2020). Blockchain technology and its applications to combat COVID-19 pandemic. Research on Biomedical Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42600-020-00106-3

Yoon, H.-J. (2019). Blockchain Technology and Healthcare. Healthcare Informatics Research, 25(2), 59. https://doi.org/10.4258/hir.2019.25.2.59