The ONC has announced 15 winners of its Ideation Challenge seeking whitepapers exploring how blockchain can advance interoperability and privacy needs in healthcare.
The agency received more than 70 submissions from individuals, organizations and companies addressing how to use blockchain in health IT and selected the 15 winning papers based on proposed solutions or recommendations for market viability, creativity, ability to foster transformative change, and potential to support a number of health information objectives.
The winning whitepapers include submissions from consulting agencies like Deloitte and Accenture; academic institutions like Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston and University of California San Diego Health System's department of biomedical informatics; and hospitals and health systems, including Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic and Boston-based Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; among others and unaffiliated papers.
The winners received cash prizes ranging from $1,500 to $5,000, and up to eight winners may be selected to present their paper at a future blockchain workshop.
"We are thrilled by the incredible amount of interest in this challenge," said Vindell Washington, MD, national coordinator, in a statement. "While many know about blockchain technology's uses for digital currency purposes, the challenge submissions show its exciting potential for new, innovative uses in healthcare."
To see the full list of winners and to access their whitepapers, click here.
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