Blockchain’s use in healthcare ‘essential' to protect sensitive data: Zelis CTO

cointelegraph.com:

Kali Durgampudi, the CTO of healthcare payments company Zelis, believes that the implementation of blockchain tech is vital for protecting patients' sensitive data from cybercriminals.

Speaking with Health IT News on July 20, Durgampudi noted that some of the biggest issues in healthcare are privacy and data security as the industry works to digitize its “archaic paper-based processes.”

“Blockchain technology has the potential to alleviate many of these concerns,” he said, as he highlighted the importance of utilizing a digital ledger that is “impenetrable” to protect sensitive patient and financial data amid the growing rate of cyberattacks across the globe.

Durgampudi went on to note that blockchain tech can also play a key role in healthcare payments, as it can help provide greater transparency and efficiency over current payment models in healthcare. He said the many payers and providers were hesitant to share information via email as emails could go awry and there was no proof of delivery.

“Blockchain provides both payers and providers with complete visibility into the entire lifecycle of a claim, from the patient registering at the front desk to disputing a cost to sending an explanation of benefits,” he added.

One of the major companies that has worked on blockchain-based healthcare solutions is multinational tech giant IBM.

The blockchain arm of the company has rolled out several solutions for healthcare such as health credential verification, the 'Trust Your Supplier' service to find verified suppliers, and 'Blockchain Transparent Supply', which provides supply chain tracking on temperature-controlled pharmaceuticals.

In March 2021, Cointelegraph reported that IBM was working on a trial of a COVID-19 vaccination