Table Of ContentExploring Blockchain
in
Healthcare
Implementation and Impact of Distributed
Database Across Pharmaceutical Supply
Chain, Drugs Administration, Healthcare
Insurance and Patient Administration
Anurag Srivastava
www.bpbonline.com
FIRST EDITION 2022
Copyright © BPB Publications, India
ISBN: 978-93-55510-204
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www.bpbonline.com
Dedicated to
My Guru:
A person who enlightens me all the time
and points me in the right direction
My beloved parents:
Shri R.S. Srivastava
Smt. Kunti Srivastava
and
My wife Dr Nupur Tomar and son Rithvik
About the Author
Anurag Srivastava is a tech geek and enthusiast with a Bachelor’s degree
in Electronics and Communication. He has more than 13 years of
experience in the software tech industry, which helped and encouraged him
write this book. He has exposure in many domains, like healthcare, energy,
and finance, and he has developed many applications for these sectors. He
is familiar with software development and solution architecture, DevOps,
cloud technologies, Blockchain, open banking, and enterprise mobility. He
has been associated with MNCs and large banks, and he is part of the Big
Four firms currently. Writing about technology is his hobby, and he loves
spending time with his family, play the guitar and piano, go for long drives
when he is not writing or working. He is fond of innovation, and his mantra
for keeping his energy high is:
“More Powerful than Fear Itself, Is the will to WIN”
(James Hunt, 1976 F1 Champion)
About the Reviewer
Shibaji Biswas is an IT professional with more than a decade of experience
in IT and data center management, migration planning, implementation
governance, service delivery, data engineering, data architecture, end-to-end
implementation, roll-out, upgrade, and consulting for IT projects.
He specializes in building and leading data-driven transformation and
migration projects. He has several years of DBA experience in different
database technologies, including SAP-Sybase, SAP-IQ, Oracle,
PostgreSQL, MySQL, and MariaDB, and is experienced in managing data
analytical activities and building data products.
He is currently working as a senior project engineer in an organization
under the Ministry of Railways, Govt. of India. He has been actively
involved in planning and designing data pipelines and data analytical
activities in recent years. He is also involved in exploring implementation
strategies for the integration of emerging technologies like Blockchain,
Cloud, and Machine Learning for digital transformation and modernization
of legacy systems for business process improvement.
Shibaji is an engineering graduate in computer science and engineering and
a post-graduate in information security and IT management. He has several
certifications in Blockchain Architecture and Development, Data Science,
Data Mining, Machine Learning, Cloud Architecture, and Design Thinking
under his belt.
Acknowledgement
I hit upon the idea of writing a book on Blockchain technology and its
applications in the finance, energy, and healthcare industries, but I was
clueless about how to start as I am new to writing. Fortunately, Team BPB
and I crossed paths, and the BPB team guided me in the right direction to
start this project/book.
Completing this book has been a roller coaster ride for me, and it would not
have been possible to finish writing this book without some people’s
support. I will take this opportunity to show my gratitude to those people.
First and foremost, I would like to thank the Almighty and my guru for
giving me everything I have today and my parents for supporting my
decision to take up this project.
I am thankful to my wife, Dr Nupur Tomar, for being on my side
throughout this long journey. She has a doctorate in biotechnology, and she
also helped me in some of the areas of this book, like genomics and vaccine
standards, when I was struggling to collect my thoughts.
I am grateful to the organizations I have worked for and gained countless
experiences around Blockchain and other related technologies. These
organizations and my seniors enabled me to get foundational knowledge
through projects, and I have shared it in this book. Thanks to all those who
supported me in this project. My sincere thanks to Mr. Shibaji Biswas for
reviewing this book and providing his inputs and ideas to fill the gaps.
My gratitude to the team at BPB Publications for being supportive for a
long time. The whole team reviewed and analyzed every chapter, provided
their input to finalize them, and helped publish the book. Healthcare and
Blockchain are subjective topics, and the team ensured that the book does
not divert from the main areas and retains the readers’ interest.
I hope you will enjoy reading the book as much as I enjoyed writing it and
that you will learn about Blockchain and its applications in the healthcare
industry.
Preface
I first got into the world of the Blockchain when I came across the white
paper written by Satoshi Nakamoto in late 2010. At the time, I had an
instinct that the technology behind Bitcoin can also be used in other
industries. When Blockchain frameworks like Ethereum and Hyperledger
came up with a similar concept but for a broad spectrum of the financial
and non-financial use cases, I started exploring the applications of
Blockchain in sectors like energy, healthcare, and the finance and capital
market.
Given this backdrop, I worked on the idea of using Blockchain technology
in the healthcare industry in this book, considering the existing challenges
in different verticals of the healthcare sector. This book is drafted to discuss
the different domains of the healthcare industry, their challenges, and how
Blockchain technology can be used to fill the gaps in these domains and
create a new type of connected-healthcare system. This book talks about
different domains of the healthcare industry, like the pharmaceutical supply
chain, the healthcare insurance sector, smart labs, HIS, and genomics. Each
chapter explains the application of Blockchain and smart contract in these
domains through real-world examples and algorithms to connect the dots
efficiently.
This book explains how Blockchain can be utilized to resolve the existing
challenges and fill in gaps across the healthcare industry or how innovations
can be utilized in the healthcare sector, like asset tokenization and smart
contract. It also explores blockchain applications in the healthcare sector by
explaining real-world use cases and algorithms. Additionally, it covers
details around different Blockchain frameworks like Ethereum,
Hyperledger, and Multichain for different use cases wherever applicable.
This book is divided into 10 chapters. Initially, we will discuss the
healthcare industry and Blockchain fundamentals. Then, we will touch upon
various sectors of the healthcare industry, and you will understand how
blockchain frameworks can be applied in typical processes in these
domains. This book will also explain the approach to couple Blockchain
with other cutting-edge technologies like AI/ ML, Cloud Infra, Big Data,
and Advanced Analytics. Here’s an overview of what’s covered in each
chapter:
Chapter 1 is an introduction to the healthcare industry and how medical
records and processes are handled currently.
Chapter 2 provides an insight into the fundamentals of Blockchain. You
will understand the Blockchain basics and the different Blockchain
frameworks available. In this chapter, one sample smart contract is
developed and deployed on a test network.
Chapter 3 explains how Blockchain can play a role in healthcare. We will
learn about the various roles of Blockchain in the healthcare domain.
Chapter 4 provides an overview of modern HIS/ EHR systems and how
patients’ medical history and data is saved and shared with other parties.
Additionally, you will learn how patients can own and secure their medical
records using Blockchain technology.
Chapter 5 talks about the use of Blockchain in traceability and provenance
of pharmaceuticals with authenticity. We will understand how to track and
avoid illegal trade practices.
Chapter 6 looks at Blockchain in healthcare insurance claims. Here, you
will understand insurance claims processes and their estimation using
Blockchain.
Chapter 7 focuses on how Blockchain can be used to issue digital medical
certificates and prescriptions that can be appended to healthcare requests or
insurance claims.
Chapter 8 discusses the use of Blockchain in fetching and storing medical
test results, scan results, and other information through smart medical
instruments and equipment. In this chapter, we will cover smart labs and
efficient data storage and processing.
Chapter 9 takes you through using Blockchain in storing and maintaining
organisms' genetic information for all eternity. You will learn how to store,
trace, and apply analytics data generation using Blockchain technology.
Chapter 10 focuses on the use of Blockchain in the administration of
vaccination and healthcare policies. You will also learn to determine and
address healthcare insurance and policies.
