Trust in a Trustless System
Data breaches cost the US healthcare industry billions annually. **Blockchain**—the technology behind Bitcoin—offers a radical new way to secure and share patient data.
1. Immutable Audit Logs
In a blockchain, once a record is written, it cannot be altered. This creates an unforgeable audit trail of who accessed a patient’s record and when. This transparency is a dream for HIPAA compliance officers.
2. Patient-Centric Data Ownership
Currently, data lives in the hospital’s database. Blockchain enables a model where the *patient* holds the keys to their data wallet. They grant temporary access to a specialist or researcher, and revoke it afterwards. This returns privacy control to the individual.
3. Supply Chain Integrity
Counterfeit drugs are a silent threat. Blockchain can track a pharmaceutical bottle from the manufacturing plant to the pharmacy shelf, ensuring provenance and safety.
Is it Ready?
While still in pilot stages for many use cases, blockchain is moving from hype to reality. US consortiums like Synaptic Health Alliance are proving that decentralized ledgers can reduce administrative costs and fraud.
