I don’t know if Americans are getting healthier, but I do know they’re getting treated more. In 2009, American patients received just under four billion prescriptions and by 2016, doctors were signing about 4.45 billion per year. Some drugs may be widely manufactured, while others may originate from a single compounder, but wherever they come from, they go to every corner of the globe. There can be few greater logistical challenges than keeping track of all this medicine as it travels across oceans and continents, conveyed by containers, planes, trains, boats and even bikes and stored in various conditions. How can governments, manufacturers, hospitals, pharmacies and consumers maintain and trust this supply chain? Might blockchain, a new but versatile technology, provide the answer?

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The age of digital medical records has elevated the urgency with which hospitals and other medical providers need to integrate all of their procurement processes, maintain control of the data and inventory, all while decreasing costs. In order to meet those demanding challenges, hospitals are being forced to adapt new best practices and technologies. However, the mere presence of shiny, new technology does not necessarily guarantee every cog will function as it should and the increasing need for information will be sated. In addition for access to desired information, hospitals and medical facilities also need the data to be in the right format, available on-demand and accessible to the right people. Read more...