Richard Shute, PhD, consultant for research and technological development company The Pistoia Alliance in Wakefield, Mass., shares advice on the best ways for healthcare to integrate blockchain technology as well as the potential benefits it may have on EHRs.
Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Question: Where is blockchain in healthcare now and how will it develop in 2019?
Dr. Richard Shute: The healthcare and life science industries are beginning to look at the potential of blockchain technology. In the past few years, we have seen increased awareness of the technology and several organizations starting to experiment with it. As with introducing any new technology in the healthcare industry, the widespread implementation of blockchain will be a gradual process.
According to our research last year, 40 percent of healthcare and life science organizations still have no plans to adopt blockchain, and only a little more than25 percent are looking to take their first steps on the blockchain journey by planning to do a proof of concept project. While that means almost two-thirds of companies are currently doing no formal work on blockchain right now, if we ask the same questions at the end of 2019, that picture will look very different.
Q: What do you think will be the most significant blockchain applications in healthcare over the next five years?
RS: Two areas where healthcare professionals think blockchain technology could have a significant impact are scientific data sharing and EHRs.
Blockchain has the potential to lower the risk barriers currently associated with data sharing and collaboration and so enable such a scientific data market. Those in an organization who are more risk averse would be more likely to support wider data sharing and collaboration, opening even greater possibilities in drug discovery and development based on the volumes of data that would now be available.
Using a blockchain can also offer patients access to, and control over, how their medical data is used. In the future, patients could even give individual companies access to 'blocks' of their data for specific research purposes — possibly even being paid for allowing such access. Moreover, it will allow medical organizations to ensure records are secure and safeguard the process of transferring or sharing patient medical data with other institutions or specialists.
Q: What do health IT leaders at hospitals and health systems need to know about blockchain today?
RS: One of the biggest hurdles for the healthcare industry is access to the right skills or being able to hire adequately skilled staff. In order to achieve the potential of blockchain, as an industry, we must ensure organizations have access to the people, skills and technology platforms to bring their blockchain projects to fruition. In many cases, this will involve collaborating with the technology industry to fill the blockchain talent gap. Sharing skills, knowledge, expertise and best practice will be the foremost way for companies to overcome the barriers to using blockchain.
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