By Arpita Goyal
In the digital age, the healthcare industry is heavily reliant on technology for data management. However, this shift has raised significant concerns about data privacy, particularly when it comes to safeguarding patient information. As medical records transition from paper to digital databases, data becomes dispersed when patients change hospitals. Patient information is inherently sensitive, including detailed medical histories, treatment records, and often personally identifiable information like names and addresses, which malicious actors can exploit for identity theft, insurance fraud, or blackmail. Traditional methods of data storage and transfer, such as electronic health records (EHRs), have exhibited vulnerabilities due to their centralized nature, making them attractive targets for hackers. This not only jeopardizes data security but also infringes on patient privacy, emphasizing the pressing need for robust safeguards against breaches.
A specific example of a data breach resulting from traditional data storage and transfer is the 2019 incident involving AMCA clients, Quest Diagnostics and LabCorp. This breach impacted five million patients who relied on these platforms for lab testing, making them targets of fraudulent activities and phishing scams, underlining the necessity for a platform that can integrate with healthcare systems to ensure data security, compliance, authenticity, privacy, and portability. Currently, the global healthcare market’s blockchain technology is predicted to surge to $16.3 billion by 2031, highlighting its growing significance in health services. Experts anticipate that blockchain technology could potentially save the healthcare sector up to $100 billion annually by 2025 through improvements in IT, operations, and data security.
Blockchain technology offers a secure, decentralized, immutable, transparent, and patient-controlled platform for data privacy. Data in the blockchain is cryptographically linked in blocks, forming an immutable record, and its transparency enhances accountability for all authorized parties. It’s analogous to having a digital identity stored in a blockchain-based digital wallet. This wallet accumulates and safeguards your biological, financial, and geospatial data, with you dictating its usage. Your medical records are central to this identity. Your body produces health data like heart rate, respiratory rate, and body temperature, which should be under your control, not corporations or governments. While healthcare professionals provide a vital service, patients should retain ownership of the health data derived from their bodies. Blockchain can address the limitations of the current EHR system by securing the patient’s entire medical record stored securely and encrypting it using the patient’s private key. While no system is entirely impenetrable, it offers greater security compared to traditional methods.
The case of Henrietta Lacks serves as a poignant example that addresses the importance of blockchain technology for empowering individuals and their families to manage their data ethically and benefit from it. However, internet access is pivotal for effective health data management on a blockchain, creating disparities for those without connectivity. Additionally, blockchain has the potential to strike a balance between public health and individual privacy, as exemplified during the COVID-19 pandemic with the use of mass surveillance in China. It highlights the need for long-term data control solutions. Blockchain empowers patients to control their data and advocate for policies that prioritise their needs, countering the influence of powerful entities like the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, known for using patient data in lobbying and shaping healthcare policies.
Various initiatives worldwide demonstrate the power of blockchain in healthcare (like MedRec and Medicalchain blockchain platforms offering patient-controlled data sharing and security). Governments and companies are recognising blockchain’s potential in the health sector. Estonia uses blockchain to secure 1.3 million citizens’ health records, while Alibaba collaborates with Chinese authorities to provide convenient medical services. In Russia, the Ministry of Health partners with Vnesheconombank for a healthcare data-sharing system. Blockchain-based solutions could also mitigate issues like Medicare fraud in the United States.
The integration of blockchain in India’s healthcare sector holds tremendous potential, but it requires extensive collaboration and investment from both public and private sectors. The National Health Policy (NHP) and the Digital Information Security in Healthcare Act (DISHA) of 2018 underline the importance of data security and confidentiality. Regulatory frameworks must adapt to incorporate blockchain platforms while ensuring the protection of patient rights and information security, a crucial aspect in a country as diverse and populous as India. Furthermore, continued research and development are needed to refine blockchain applications and address the unique challenges like interoperability between various blockchain platforms in healthcare, ensuring a smooth and secure transition to this new era of medical data management regardless of a healthcare provider or location.
Blockchain technology is poised to revolutionise the healthcare industry in India, transforming the way we access and share health information for the better. With the right investments, partnerships, and regulatory measures, India can harness the benefits of blockchain while prioritising patient data and security.
The author is a healtchare professional