Blockchain in Healthcare: Benefits, Use Cases and Examples

Do you know that almost 55% of healthcare processes will adopt blockchain by 2025? Do you wonder why blockchain in healthcare is becoming so popular?

If you were thinking about integrating blockchain into your healthcare app but were in doubt, we are here to clear it!

In this blog, we will discuss what blockchain technology is, its use cases, and the benefits of blockchain in healthcare. We'll also highlight companies using blockchain in healthcare. This will give you a glimpse of blockchain's transformative power.

What is Blockchain Technology

Blockchain technology is a way to keep track of information in a secure and transparent way. It works by creating a growing list of records called blocks.

These blocks are linked together and secured using cryptography. Each block contains a timestamp and a link to the previous block. That makes it difficult to change or tamper with the information.

Here's how it works

Transaction: A transaction (like sending money, updating a record, or creating a digital asset) occurs.

Verification: This transaction is verified by multiple computers on the network (nodes).

Block Creation: Once verified, the transaction is added to a block along with other verified transactions.

Chaining: The block is linked to the previous block in the chain, creating a chronological order.

Decentralization: Copies of this blockchain are distributed across multiple computers, ensuring no single entity controls the information.

9 Use Cases of Blockchain in Healthcare

Blockchain technology is often associated with cryptocurrencies, but its potential goes far beyond financial applications. One industry that stands to benefit immensely from blockchain is healthcare.

From securing patient data to improving the efficiency of medical supply chains, blockchain offers a variety of solutions to some of the most pressing challenges in the field.

Curious how this technology could transform healthcare? Let’s explore 9 key use cases where blockchain is making a real impact.

1 - Electronic Health Records (EHRs)

Healthcare data is often vulnerable to security breaches, errors, and lacks patient control.

Blockchain offers a solution to these problems. It distributes patient data across a network of computers instead of a central database. That makes it much harder for hackers to access or change records. Blockchain also tracks and verifies every change to medical records.

This ensures the information is always accurate and up to date. This means doctors and nurses have the latest information to make the best decisions about patient care.

2 - Clinical Trials

Keeping data accurate and getting proper permission from patients are all big challenges when conducting clinical trials. These issues can make research take longer and even raise questions about the trustworthiness of the results.

Blockchain technology creates a secure, permanent record for patient information in clinical trials. This ensures data accuracy and prevents tampering, addressing key challenges in research. This ensures the accuracy of the data. It also makes it easier for researchers to identify trends and make reliable discoveries.

Blockchain can manage the patient consent process in clinical trials. This ensures they are fully informed about potential risks and benefits before deciding to participate. This makes clinical trials more ethical and trustworthy.

3 - Claims Processing and Billing

The current claims and billing process in healthcare can be complex, time-consuming, and prone to errors. This leads to delays and increases administrative costs.

Blockchain has the potential to automate and simplify this process by creating a shared, immutable ledger of claims and payments. This can reduce administrative costs and improve the speed and accuracy of payments to healthcare providers.

4 - Supply Chain Management

Counterfeit drugs and lack of transparency in the pharmaceutical supply chain pose significant risks to patient safety.

Blockchain can be used to track the movement of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies from the manufacturer to the patient. This creates a transparent and secure record that helps prevent counterfeit drugs from entering the supply chain.

Also, blockchain can improve supply chain efficiency by automating inventory management and tracking the real-time status of shipments.

5 - Identity Management

Healthcare providers constantly grapple with safeguarding patient data and preventing fraud. A key aspect of this challenge is ensuring the secure and reliable identification of all parties involved.

Blockchain can create unique digital identities for patients and healthcare providers. That will make it easier to verify their identity and authorize access to medical records. This can help prevent identity theft and protect patient privacy.

6 - Appointment Scheduling

Traditional appointment scheduling systems are often prone to errors, double bookings, and no-shows. This leads to inefficiencies and frustrated patients.

Blockchain technology can be used to create a secure and tamper-proof system for appointment scheduling. Patients can book appointments online, and their information is stored on the blockchain, which can only be accessed by authorized parties. This ensures that appointments are not double-booked and that patient data is secure.

7 - Telemedicine

Telemedicine is becoming more common, which means we need strong solutions. These solutions must protect patient privacy and manage the increasing amount of medical data from virtual visits.

During a telemedicine appointment, the doctor might collect information about the symptoms or medical history of the patient. Blockchain can create a secure and private record of this information, making sure it's protected.

Additionally, the secure communication channels of blockchain can ensure privacy during video calls or messages with the doctor.

8 - Permissioned Access Control

Patients often have limited control over who can access their medical data, and data breaches can compromise patient privacy.

Blockchain allows patients to have greater control over their medical data. They can grant or deny access to specific healthcare providers or researchers. That ensures that their information is only shared with authorized individuals.

9 - Medication Adherence

Non-adherence to medication regimens is a major problem that can negatively impact patient outcomes and increase healthcare costs.

By securely recording when medications are prescribed, dispensed, and taken, blockchain can help monitor whether patients are following their treatment plans as directed. This can help healthcare providers identify patients who may need additional support and ultimately improve health outcomes.

If you want to implement blockchain solutions in your healthcare projects, you can hire certified Blockchain developers to ensure the successful integration of blockchain technology.

Top 5 Benefits of Blockchain in Healthcare

Now that we know how blockchain technology works, let’s look at its benefits.

1 - Enhanced Security for Sensitive Data

Keeping patient information safe and private is important. Blockchain technology helps with this in two ways:

• It spreads information across many computers. That makes it very difficult for hackers to steal data.

• It uses strong security measures to keep medical records safe from changes or tampering.

This helps protect your personal health information so that only authorized people can see it. This is one of the most important benefits of blockchain in healthcare.

2 - Improved Data Sharing and Collaboration

Blockchain technology helps doctors and hospitals share patient records safely and easily. This means everyone involved in the care of the patient can quickly get the right information. That helps them make the best decisions for the patient. This also ensures they get the best possible treatment.

3 - Transparency and Trust

Blockchain technology creates a permanent record of all medical transactions and data exchanges. This ensures everyone is held accountable, and all participants can confirm the accuracy and reliability of the medical information.

With blockchain, patients, doctors, and everyone involved can be confident that they are working with trustworthy data.

4 - Patient Empowerment and Control

Blockchain gives patients more control over their health data than ever before. Patients have full control over who can see their medical records and can easily grant or revoke access.

This ensures privacy while allowing them to participate in research or share information with trusted providers. This empowers individuals to take a more active role in their healthcare decisions.

5 - Streamlining Supply Chain for Safer Medications

Blockchain technology enables a secure and transparent tracking system for pharmaceuticals and medical supplies. This means each step in the journey, from manufacturing to reaching the patient, is recorded and cannot be tampered with.

As a result, counterfeit medications are much harder to slip into the system, keeping patients safer. This streamlined supply chain management also helps healthcare providers cut costs and operate more efficiently.

If you're a start-up interested in blockchain, the healthcare industry shows how powerful this technology can be. Check out our article on Blockchain for Startups to see how your business can take advantage of blockchain.

11 Real-World Examples of Blockchain in Healthcare

Electronic Health Records EHRs (Founded in 2008, Estonia)

Estonia, a small country in Europe, is leading the way in using blockchain for medical records. They started this innovative project back in 2008. Their system, called KSI Blockchain, keeps the health information of over a million Estonians safe and sound.

It's a super-secure digital vault where medical history is stored. Because blockchain is decentralized, it means the records aren't just sitting in one place where they could be easily hacked. Instead, they're spread out over many computers, making them much harder to tamper with or steal.

2 - Medicalchain (Founded in 2017, London)

This project, founded in 2017, wants to give patients more control over their own health information. They've created a secure platform using blockchain technology.

On this platform, the users decide which doctors or hospitals can see their medical records. They can also track who has accessed their information, giving them greater peace of mind and ownership of their health data.

3 - Claims Processing and Billing

Change Healthcare (Founded in 1998, United States)

Dealing with medical bills and insurance claims can be a frustrating mess, but Change Healthcare, founded in 1998, is working on a solution. They're testing out blockchain technology to create a system that handles claims faster and with fewer mistakes.

This could mean faster payments for doctors and hospitals and less hassle for everyone involved. Their goal is to make the whole billing process easier and more transparent for everyone.

4 - SimplyVital Health (Founded in 2017, United Kingdom)

This company, established in 2017, has created a platform called Connecting Care. It uses blockchain to keep track of a patient's journey through the healthcare system, from the initial appointment to any follow-up care they need.

This ensures that everyone gets paid correctly and on time. Plus, it helps doctors see how patients are doing after they leave the hospital, which can help patients heal faster and avoid unnecessary trips back.

Supply Chain Management

5 - MediLedger (Founded in 2017, San Francisco)

MediLedger is a collaborative project backed by major pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer, Genentech, and Gilead Sciences. It utilizes blockchain technology to create a secure, unchangeable record of every step in the drug supply chain.

This helps track the origin of medicines, verify their authenticity, and prevent counterfeit drugs from reaching patients. By creating a transparent and trustworthy system, MediLedger aims to protect patient safety and improve the overall efficiency of the pharmaceutical supply chain.

6 - IBM Food Trust (Founded in 2017)

IBM Food Trust is a blockchain-based platform originally designed for the food industry, aiming to enhance transparency and traceability throughout the supply chain. However, its core technology is adaptable to healthcare.

It can be used to track the movement of medical supplies, such as vaccines, personal protective equipment (PPE), or even organs for transplant. It ensures that these essential items are genuine and have been handled properly. This can prevent counterfeit products from entering the healthcare system, reduce waste, and ensure that patients receive safe and effective care.

Identity Management

7 - Civic (Founded in 2015, San Francisco)

Civic is a blockchain-based identity verification platform that aims to combat identity fraud in various industries, including healthcare. It enables individuals to control their personal information and share it selectively with trusted parties.

In healthcare, Civic's technology can be used to securely verify patient identities, ensuring that only authorized individuals can access medical records and other sensitive information. This enhanced security can help protect patient privacy and reduce the risk of medical identity theft.

8 - Hashed Health (Founded in 2016, Tennessee)

Hashed Health is a non-profit organization focused on building a decentralized identity platform specifically for the healthcare industry. Their platform allows patients to easily share their medical data with different healthcare providers while maintaining control over their privacy.

It also simplifies the process of verifying credentials for healthcare professionals. That makes it easier for them to collaborate and share information across different systems.

Appointment Scheduling

9 - Avaneer Health (Founded in 2020, Illinois)

Avaneer Health is developing a blockchain-based platform for appointment scheduling in the healthcare industry. This platform aims to address the common issue of no-shows and improve patient access to care by creating a more efficient and secure system.

Avaneer Health uses blockchain technology to tackle appointment scheduling challenges. Their goal is to streamline the process, reduce missed appointments, and improve patient access to healthcare providers.

Telemedicine

10 - Medibloc (Founded in 2017, South Korea)

Medibloc is a healthcare blockchain platform that aims to give patients more control over their medical data. The platform provides a secure and tamper-proof way for patients to store and manage their health records, as well as share them with healthcare providers.

Medibloc's technology could be integrated into telemedicine platforms. This would safeguard the privacy and integrity of patient data shared during virtual consultations. It would ensure only authorized individuals can access it.

11 - Solve.Care (Founded in 2017, United States)

Solve.Care is a global healthcare platform that utilizes blockchain to improve care coordination and access. It offers a comprehensive suite of tools for healthcare providers, patients, and insurers.

Its telemedicine module enables secure communication between patients and doctors. That allows for remote consultations, diagnoses, and treatment plans.

This approach improves the efficiency of healthcare delivery while maintaining the confidentiality of sensitive patient information.

If you are interested in learning more about Healthcare App Development then we have created a separate guide on it so you can get an idea.

Adopt Blockchain in Healthcare with Empiric Infotech LLP

There is no doubt about the fact that blockchain is transforming the healthcare industry. Those who adopt it quickly will reap the benefits in the future.

You must be willing to integrate it into your healthcare systems too, and for good reason. But the trick lies in doing it right.

Our expertise and experience in blockchain solutions serves as a roadmap to help you seamlessly integrate it into your systems.

With our swift and smooth onboarding process, we can start working on improving your systems in no time.

If you wish to further discuss it, our experts will be happy to help you.