Blockchain is now expected to be used for keeping a track on public health issues. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and IBM are said to be collaborating to develop a solution that can help in researching public health issues.
As per a report published by Fast Company, "IBM and CDC experts are hopeful that using a blockchain could help streamline long-running surveys that track patient symptoms and treatments." The plan is to study simulated data that can tell the reasons and symptoms because of which patients visit medical professionals.
CDCs are already collecting information through surveys filled by doctors regarding the visit stating the problems, symptoms, etc. bought into them along with medication prescribes by them to the patients. Study is being done so that blockchain could be introduced in the field.
Despite its reputation, Blockchain can prove to be immensely safe, it can automatically collect data and also efficiently control the accessibility of the information. Blockchain wouldn’t just be collecting the information but safeguarding it as well so that potentially sensitive information of the patient is protected as well which is just as important and crucial as it is to study the trends.
IBM’s cloud system is expected to be used to store the data collected from hospital electronic record systems and only people authorized with encryption keys would be able to gain access to it.
The next step would likely be to develop and test the outlined system by working with different companies to know the efficiency of it in real time scenario. Sure, it is still a work in progress but if it is actually implemented and furthermore, successful, would clear the doubts people currently seem to have regarding blockchains.
IBM has also published this introductory video on their YouTube channel.
Source: IBMBlockchain
