BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY: WHAT & WHY IN HEALTHCARE?
Victoria L. Lemieux
University of British Columba
June 25, 2019
2
BLOCKCHAIN . . . WHA . . ?
Source: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/04/28/58/042858f0e12d812a1b104712d3e421b5.jpg
BLOCKCHAIN . . .IT’S AS EASY AS 1, 2, 3!
1. Social Dimension or what you are trying to achieve: e.g., wellness!
2. Data Dimension or what data do you need to achieve it and how it needs
to be managed and maintained: e.g., private and secure
3. Technical Dimension or what type of blockchain and how it needs to
operate to achieve the goals in the data and social dimensions
WHAT IS BLOCKCHAIN?
Address (hash of
originator’s public key)
of transaction originator
Originatordigitally signs
the transaction with their private key
Address (hash of
receiver’s public key)
of the receiver of
the transaction
Completed transaction output hash
Block
• Hash of transaction A
• Hash of transaction B
• Hash of transaction C
• Etc.
Transaction processing using public-private key pairs on the blockchain (Source: Victoria L. Lemieux,
“Blockchain Recordkeeping: A Swot Analysis,” Information Management; Overland Park 51, no. 6
(December 2017): 20-22,24,26-27.
TRANSACTIONS AND BLOCKS CHAINED TOGETHER
Blockchain structure (Source: Nakamoto, 2008)
TRANSACTIONS AND BLOCKS DISTRIBUTED OUT
Source:
https://interparestrust.org/assets/p
ublic/dissemination/StancicPreserv
ationofAuthenticDigitalRecordsUsi
ngBlockchain.pdf
THE BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY STACK
Generic Blockchain Recordkeeping Reference Architecture (Source: Lemieux, 2017, updated).
BLOCKCHAIN USE CASES –RECORDKEEPING (2YRS AGO)
BLOCKCHAIN USE CASES –RECORDKEEPING (NOW)
Source: https://vonx.io/ and
https://orgbook.gov.bc.ca/en/home
BLOCKCHAIN IN HEALTHCARE
CASE STUDY 1: BLOCKCHAIN FOR
HEALTH CARE CONSENT
• Medical research relies on patients sharing their
health data
• It is unethical and illegal to use patients’ data
without those patients’ explicit informed consent
• Getting and documenting informed consent is
currently a very slow, laborious process
• Research question: Can we improve the process
using a blockchain?
• Short answer: Maybe.
UBC Blockathon for Social
Good 2017: https://blockchainubc.ca/2017/05/30/b
lockathon/
PROOF OF CONCEPT: PROOF
CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE
“We have developed a “secure and
transparent data sharing platform proof-
of-concept on the Nuco Ethereum
platform, a new User-Interface, and data
storage using Amazon Web Services
(AWS’s) S3”
• In other words, a blockchain-
based data sharing application
with off-chain storage
PRIVACY
https://www.coindesk.com/theres-alternative-facebook-called-self-sovereign-identity
SELF-SOVEREIGN ID/DATA MOVEMENT
& FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES
➢ Every individual human being is the original source of their
own Identity.
➢ Identity is not an administrative mechanism for
others to control.
➢ Each individual is the root of their own identity, and central
to its adminstration.
➢ The role of names, citizenship, licences and other credentials
should be distinct.
Self-Sovereign ID/Data Movement &
Fundamental Principles
Individual Data, Individual Control
Molecular You health data
Securely consent to use data by signing with private key
Receive rewards for use of data
Personal blockchain wallet holds all data
Private key keeps data safe
SO WHAT?
• Ultimately, blockchain solutions could:
• Reduce time of the research cycle
• Increase study participant enrollment
• Improve trust between institutions
• Provide secure & verifiable data collection
• Provide efficient, secure, and reliable processes
• Provide easy tracking of data flows
➢ Still emerging, and technical changes to
how blockchain operates can be expected.
➢ Need to remain curious & humble about
our knowledge
➢ More info available here:
http://armaedfoundation.org/press-release-
foundation-publishes-new-research-report-
2/