Introduction
This article explores the possibility of using blockchain technology in the healthcare sector. The concept and essence of blockchain technology and the areas in which it is applied are being studied and revealed. The authors claim that blockchain technologies can significantly reduce the problems in the healthcare information sector (Abujamra & Randall, 2019). Now information technologies in public and private clinics are at a low level of development and require reform for faster and more efficient functioning.
Discussion
In this paper, the authors fully reveal the concept of blockchain technologies and how they are implemented today. The technology and associated cryptocurrency, a decentralized structure, according to Abujamra & Randall (2019), will help save money and make the medical institution run faster. The authors hypothesize that there are a large number of applications that could be successfully implemented in the public health system. Among the main advantages of this approach is the architecture of the information technology of the blockchain, which provides reliable security for transferring information and payments. According to the authors, implementing such technologies in the American Medicaid and Medicare systems can significantly reduce the cost of financing the software for medical institutions. The second statement of the paper’s authors concerns the fact that the blockchain is much easier to control and configure.
Further, the authors reveal the essence of blockchain technology and delve into the history of the emergence of cryptocurrencies. Abujamra & Randall (2019) state that blockchain “is of particular interest and potential use in a wide range of industries, including healthcare, due to the open source and decentralized nature of the technology” (p. 143). The article describes how blockchain technology works and how safe it is. The article also talks about such advantages as eliminating an intermediary party in transactions, which facilitates the interaction of patients with institutions. The authors also describe tools for development in the field of healthcare. As Abujamra & Randall (2019) state, “The most common and with the most applicability is the Ethereum blockchain” (p. 143). It is claimed that Ethereum is fully Turing-compatible and is actively used in smart contracts.
The next part of the article describes how blockchain can improve the healthcare industry. The authors say implementing this technology is possible in the Master Patient Identifier (MPI) system. According to the paper’s authors, this will contribute to the rapid and direct transfer of information. As they say, “Autonomous automatic adjudication would simplify and lead to significant efficiencies in how claims or other healthcare transactions are processed between parties” (Abujamra & Randall, 2019, p. 145). It is assumed that in the interaction process between the parties, so-called smart contracts will be used, automatically considering claims. Since “Fraud detection and mitigation is increasingly becoming a policy issue for state Medicaid programs,” the application of blockchains has the potential to eradicate this problem (Abujamra & Randall, 2019, p. 145). The following are examples of Medicaid scams and what losses the state incurs due to such actions. The incarnation of cryptocurrency could eliminate such opportunities for scammers. In addition, such a system upgrade can simplify the management of a medical institution by reducing manual operations for administrators.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the authors point out that it remains to calculate the cost of introducing such mechanisms into the system in the future. In addition, the article states that more than one program can be suitable for health information systems. Accordingly, there is a wide range of opportunities to improve and reform the country’s medical system.
Reference
Abujamra, R., & Randall, D. (2019). Blockchain applications in healthcare and the opportunities and the advancements due to the new information technology framework. In Advances in Computers, 115, 141-154. Elsevier. Web.