Increasingly used in the medical field, blockchain technology has been thought of as a surveillance and contingency strategy of the world’s greatest concern today: coronavirus. According to scientific paper, the technology with its data logging character, would help strengthen the virus prevention and control systems, which spreads easily.
Thus, resources such as validation of transaction processes, prevention of system failure from any single point of the transaction, and approval of the optimal data sharing, could be redirected to this control and monitoring.
The main advantage of this technology, which is decentralized by nature, is that all transactions or variations in data are captured with real-time updates on the network. Therefore, the information stored in each block is permanent and cannot be twisted. In addition, the technology is transparent and autonomous and improves the quality of data shared between different stakeholders.
At the hospital level, according to the article, blockchains are often used in electronic and medical record systems, insurance complaints, collection management and so forth. In addition, this technology is useful for managing logistics and human resources to achieve the quality of care in the learning of health systems.
Blockchain beyond coronavirus
In many countries, blockchain is already being used to promote patient-centered care by sharing individual data for remote monitoring and management. The study also reveals that in developing countries, the use of technology would have even more effect. Population health control would be improved, resulting in a decrease in contamination and death rates.
In addition, blockchain technology has the potential to strengthen diseases surveillance systems in cases of viral outbreaks, resulting in local and global health emergencies. Under such conditions, blockchain can be used to identify health safety concerns, analyze preventive measures, and facilitate decision-making processes to act quickly and effectively.
It is important to highlight that, despite their limitations, research and practices based on blockchain technology have shown positive outlook to strengthen health systems around the globe, with the potential to reduce the global burden of diseases, mortality, morbidity and economic costs. This study reinforces the potential of the technology to assist in the control and containment of rapidly spreading diseases, such as coronavirus.
