INTRODUCTION

BLOCKCHAIN AND HEALTHCARE

I don't know if you remember me, but if you read my last article you will. I love talking about matters that concerns our health. Let me let you in on a little secret am a baker and a chef. Don't tell anyone about this( laugh). So anything that has to do with health count me in. I love to research about this topic. Which brings me to my last article blockchain technology in healthcare.

When we talk about blockchain, do you know that blockchain can also streamline administrative processes such as billing, and also our insurance claims in the healthcare industry,etc. This is important because if you take a close look at the healthcare industry we have a lot of challenges with our paper work and health insurance. Amazingly with blockchain technology it eliminate inefficiency, reduce paper work, and enhance transparency. It also helps with insurance claims processing, and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. In my last article i talked about a lot. Now let's take a look at this technology closely. Despite its potential, blockchain technology in healthcare still faces a lot of challenges. We will get to some of this challenges shortly. Let's dive a little into the security aspect of this magnificent technology in healthcare.

BLOCKCHAIN AND MEDICAL SECURITY

I know most of us that know a little about blockchain will agree with me that this technology has a long way to go. But let's look at some of the amazing things blockchain technology offers the healthcare industry. Data privacy, this word here is a big deal for most of us. We value our privacy a lot, especially when it comes to our health, some of us don't even speak up because we are worried about privacy. Now when it comes to blockchain and the security of medical records, we are talking about ,Data Encryption, Decentralised Storage,immutable Audit Trail etc. Let's take this one at a time.

DATA ENCRYPTION

When we talk about the data encryption in blockchain and medical records we are talking about the advance cryptographic technique it has to manage medical records and sensitive patients information. Each of these transactions or data entry is encrypted using cryptographic keys making sure that only authorised parties can access and decrypt the information. It has a lot of layers to protect against unauthorised access.

DECENTRALISED STORAGE

Traditional the healthcare system often rely on centralised databases, which are vulnerable to cyberattacks. But when it comes to blockchain it is a decentralised and distributed ledger where copies of the entire database are stored on multiple computers (nodes) across the network. This makes it extremely difficult for hackers to compromise the data as they would need to attack multiple nodes simultaneously which is highly impractical.

IMMUTABLE AUDIT TRAIL

Blockchain technology in this aspect maintains an immutable and transparent record in the sense that, each transaction is time-stamped and linked to the previous transaction, creating a chronological chain of events. This trail ensures the integrity and traceability of the data, making it impossible to alter or manipulate records without detection. Any attempt to temper will be apparent, alterting the network participant. I can go on and on.

Remember when i said blockchain still has challenges. I made mention of this because despite all the help this magnificent technology has to offer, we humans are still in control of this magnificent technology. The thing is integration with existing legacy systems scalability and regulatory compliance are some of the key hurdles that need to be addressed. Data privacy, governance, and standardization, all this requires careful consideration. Blockchain technology holds immense promise for our healthcare industry. By providing enhanced security and transparency, blockchain technology has transform our healthcare industry by providing transparency with the way patient data is managed, shared and utilized. Now while this technology is still evolving, what am trying to say is, since we humans are still the ones programming this magnificent technology. What is needed is continuous research, pilot projects, and collaboration between stakeholders. This is essential to unlock the full potential of blockchain in healthcare. I will talk more about some of those challenges and also a few on the good blockchain technology has in the healthcare industry,in my next article.

Thanks for taking out time to check me out. I remain my humble self. As for that privacy part please speak up when it comes to your health

SEE YOU IN MY NEXT ARTICLE.