The system developed by researchers seeks to generate methods that allow reporting unfavorable events recorded during a medical investigation
According to a report published by the international scientific journal Nature, in February, some researchers from the University of California seek to promote the use of blockchain technology to control and record clinical data relevant to the health system.
The document published by the journal is a detailed summary of the research that has been developed by medical scientists at the University of California, in San Francisco. The file explains in a precise way the method to share medical information using a blockchain technology network which seeks the wide crossing of information between qualified users, in a safe and immutable way.
The research, which was developed within the University of California, resulted in the creation of an ideal blockchain platform, which is able to improve the traceability and stability of the clinical data that are being developed in the different medical investigations, as well as the information of use common for medical diagnosis, patient history, among other aspects. All this makes the system a complete and competent tool for the adequate safeguarding of data, notably improving the registration and management methods.
It was known that, although conventional blockchain systems do not allow information to be renewed or modified, the system developed by these researchers may allow an applicability tool to be granted when reporting an event happened during the investigation.
It should be noted that, unlike the conventional systems of the blockchain technology, when it is an error in the investigation, or that there has been a need to modify data already entered in the block, this system will allow changes or corrections.
In this way, the system can enable the option to reload the information, but without modifying or overwriting the existing data. The objective is not to leave the parameters and the advantageous qualities offered by this technology.
The test trials on this new method of medical registration proposed by the researchers consisted on the launch of a free web portal that project participants could use to collect their research data in real time. As well as taking control and continuous storage of the interaction between patients and clinical investigators.
Then, the data is recorded in a new block where it is safe and unmodifiable. An algorithm established by the researchers will process all this data.
According to the report of the scientific article, “the storage of data from the chain of blocks will be achieved by duplicating and distributing the chain to physically separate machines and data warehouses to be managed by the regulator”.
This is not the first time that specific research has been conducted in order to use blockchain technology in the advanced medical area. In February, several press reports reported that the company Bitfury, dedicated to blockchain technology, had made an important association with the radiology market Blockchain Medical Diagnostic Web, to implement a blockchain system which allowed to share and protect diagnostic images as tomographies and computerized x-rays.
By María Victoria Rodríguez
