The Use And Value Of Blockchain In Healthcare Research

By Ciox Real World Data Leaders

The healthcare industry has invested well over $17 billion dollars since 2014 in digital integration and analytic capabilities to support care delivery, wellness, and research. Yet these cutting-edge capabilities have failed to match the adoption and impact they have experienced in other industries. Only about 20 percent of hospitals use data from outside providers in delivering care, while the criteria achieved the minimum by Health Information Exchanges was enabling patients to view, download, and transmit their health information. These investments struggled to deliver because they are starved for clinical data.

Although the use of blockchain in healthcare, and specifically in healthcare research, is still at nascent stage, the value it provides, and that it will provide in the future, should not be overlooked. This article introduces blockchain technology in the context of healthcare research, the opportunities and value it is set to provide in the future, and how to overcome the obstacles of implementing it.