In July 2016, the Department of Health and Human Services put out a call for whitepapers about using the blockchain in health care. I had used the Bitcoin blockchain but hadn’t considered how the blockchain could be used outside of a ledger system.
Abstract
The blockchain as a health database could be used to log and identify patient records in a pseudo-anonymous way that would allow researchers to discover realtime public health emergencies and alert professionals and the public. The blockchain would also allow practitioners to digitally sign medical records and documents that could not be altered in the future.