Let say someone was sent to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of hospital due to urgent illness. The relatives of patients was asking the doctor about the situation of illness. However, when the doctor wish to know about the health record of the patient, the relatives has little clue about it. Some problem may arise as the doctor cannot make the accurate medical decision who just know the patient the very first day. He/she cannot totally make decision by the superficial symptom only. Drug allergy and other unknown diseases cannot be revealed if the relatives know little about the daily life of the patient.
And now we come to Blockchain world, can electronic health record can catch this bandwagon?
According to wikipedia, "An electronic health record (EHR), or electronic medical record (EMR), is the systematized collection of patient and population electronically-stored health information in a digital format.[1] These records can be shared across different health care settings. Records are shared through network-connected, enterprise-wide information systems or other information networks and exchanges. EHRs may include a range of data, including demographics, medical history, medication and allergies, immunization status, laboratory test results, radiology images, vital signs, personal statistics like age and weight, and billing information"
No doubt this is much more details than Chinese version wikipedia.
Just using the example in above, doctors in hospitals can have the access to know the patient's EHR, but only within the hospital system coverage (Some system may have connection with other entities.) But that should not be enough, as patients may be treated in clinic with primary care. If that clinic does not join the system with connection, the patient's data cannot be known by hospital's doctors. The only way to know it is to find out that doctor asap. Besides, saving a live is utmost importance, the lack of interoperability among different EHR system, can bring a negative impact to medical treatment quality. Currently, EHR systems are mainly doing their own ways, doctors usually make use of FAX or email for sending EHR if needed. Blockchain is going to overthrow this current situation as it may delay the time for treatment.
What can Blockchain bring along? Blockchain can allow EHR to:
(1) provide a comprensive and accessible EHR platform, so that HealthCare Professional can coordinate the best and personalized healthcare to patients.
- A successful EHR platform, with Blockchain supported, can interperoate different EHR system, HealthCare Professional can focus on the treatment of patients, and no need to feel annoyed on collecting and managing health record. The administration work can be allieviated.
(2) allow patients to access and control their own medical record
- Patients can become the stakeholder of their own medical record, which can enhance the relationship between healthcare professional and patients.
(3) Protect the medical health data
-Medical Record is so worthy, compared to credit card information. It can be sold at a very good price at black market to some scientific institute. The security of health record is an important issue to hospital and decentralized characteristics of Blockchain can be the future.
The universal purpose of Electronic health record is to improve patient health situation, increase the efficiency and lower the cost, under better information access and decision support's framework.