Blockchain in Healthcare

Have you ever noticed the print behind your routine drugs which has a warning of the sort – “Store in a cold and dark place with temperature below 20 degree celsius”. Do you ensure it happens? I am sure most of you do. 

Did everyone who carried the packet before you picked it from the Pharmacy properly store it?

Had it been stale or unsuitably stored food you would have simply tasted it and observed the difference, you may have asked for a refund or exchange from the general store or in rare circumstances went for a legal suit. Unfortunately, in the case of a medicine you can’t taste and tell about its quality. Even if you consume it and it takes on your health , there is no way you can be sure if it was because of the stale drug.

Despite me intimidating you, you will still take that drug maybe because you trust the brand. Probably you are willing to pay as high as 10 times the actual price of that drug elsewhere if a brand can ensure your safety. But what if it is a falsified copy of your favorite brand?

The reality is that no matter how reliable a brand is: from manufacturer to retailer there could be at least 6 different parties (manufacturer, packer, mover, chain of distributors, wholesaler, retailer) who carried your product before it reached you. So is it the right time to change our idea of trust?

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are over 1 million deaths annually from counterfeit and substandard drugs, causing $21 billion global financial impacts1. Another statistic from WHO says that an estimated 1 in 10 medical products circulating in low- and middle-income countries is either substandard or falsified2.

This is exactly what a blockchain is trying to resolve everywhere. A trust issue, and the healthcare supply chain is just one of the hundreds of applications of blockchain.

How does it work?

The answer is in three steps.

  1. By tracking and timestamping information using non-human intervention (eg. Electronic records, medical devices, sensors). In the case of Supply chain of drugs, a sensor can track if the drugs are stored in proper temperature and air pressure throughout the supply chain. They can also detect human touch points. Electronic records can maintain the manufacture and expiry date records of the medicine. In case of health data records (clinical trials, genomics, cardiovascular, ECG, electronic surgical equipment etc) information is directly captured by medical devices.
  2. By encrypting and storing the tracked information in a decentralized database.
  3. By defining a smart contract which defines the participation rights of the players. In case of a drug supply chain right from manufacturer to the customer all are players in the blockchain setup

Understanding technically, there is nothing new in step number one and is not directly related to blockchain but it forms the premise of it. However, step two is different as here the encrypted information is stored in a decentralized database which gives blockchain an edge over traditional cyber/data security measures as here there is no single custodian of the data, and information cannot be altered unless all the parties involved in the contract mutually agree to take action on it. This highly reduces the chance of theft, data breach, internal data leakage or privacy violation.

Hence, blockchain in healthcare promises to solve a grave issue of health data security breach as according to an IBM report, in 2021, for the 11th consecutive year, health care organizations experienced the highest average cost of a data breach by industry ($9.23 million, a 29% increase over 2020).3

The third step is the most challenging of all, which is smart contracting. Every player holds its own copy of data which is safely locked and all the data copies are connected through encrypted keys. If one of the players tries to alter the information in his copy of data the smart contract tallies it with other player data copies and doesn’t let that alteration happen. The smart contract can also define the exposure of information to different parties involved. Eg. a customer can see when the drug was manufactured or if there was a breach in minimum storage temperature, similarly if the customer returns the medicine to the retailer, the retailer can see the purchase bill date within the blockchain data record itself. Creating smart contracts is challenging because it requires discipline and adherence to a new culture of information procurement on part of players to ensure trust. Basically, every step and every individual has to commit to do activity within the ambit of the blockchain , eg. the retailer must use an electronic billing system connected to blockchain to ensure participation and so is true for other players to enable an unhindered record of information.

This is why despite being the most promising technology of the future, blockchain is evolving at its own pace because society takes time to adapt to a technology, but eventually it will take up everything given the capability this technology has.

Following are some of the areas within healthcare where this technology has started to revolutionize things 4,5

  • Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Management
  • Healthcare data management (Medical devices, Electronic Health Records, sensors, Individual Health IDs, Insurance ID Cards, Patient Record Management etc.)
  • Healthcare Metaverse platforms
  • Data procurement in Observational studies
  • Organ Transplantation
  • Maintaining Surgical Operations logbook
  • Appointment and capacity management with hospitals and physicians
  • Medical billing systems
  • Health insurance claims optimization
  • Protecting telehealth systems
  • Healthcare data audit
  • Improvement in clinical trials

When managed on blockchain even highly sensitive health related data can be reliably shared for research which was not possible before. Hence making way for further advancement in health research, health analytics and health economics. It is just the beginning of things and blockchain applications have unlimited scope.

If you think there is any specific domain within healthcare which I missed mentioning here that can have potential blockchain solutions, you can mention it in the comments section below.


Author – Kunal Hriday

References:

1. World Health Organization, “Substandard and Falsified Medical Products”,https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/substandard-and-falsified-medical-products, (January 31, 2018)
2. https://www.who.int/news/item/28-11-2017-1-in-10-medical-products-in-developing-countries-is-substandard-or-falsified
3. https://www.ibm.com/in-en/security/data-breach
4. Yaqoob, I., Salah, K., Jayaraman, R. et al. Blockchain for healthcare data management: opportunities, challenges, and future recommendations. Neural Comput & Applic (2021). DOI: 10.1007/s00521-020-05519-w
5. Carrano, F.M., Sileri, P., Batt, S. et al. Blockchain in surgery: are we ready for the digital revolution?. Updates Surg 74, 3–6 (2022). DOI: 0.1007/s13304-021-01232-y

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Judit Banhazi

Specialty
Value and Access

Role
Vice President

Degree
MD Medicine, JD Law

Judit Banhazi

MD Medicine, JD Law

Judit Banhazi, based in Basel, Switzerland, brings over 20 years of experience in HEOR, Market Access, and Health Policy.
She has led HEOR strategies in hematology and initiated EU HTA policy activities. Judit began her career as a physician and has worked at prime global pharma companies. Her academic prowess is excellent with a peculiar combination of an MD in Medicine and a JD in Law, she has been at forefront of health economics by being involved in HTA policy discussions with EFPIA and HTAi.
Known for her collaborative spirit and practical approach, Judit is passionate about learning and delivering quality work. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, travelling, and running.

Adam Ball

Specialty
Business Development Manager

 

Adam Ball

Business Manager

I am delighted to be part of the team here at ConnectHEOR. To tell you a bit about me, I have 10 years experience within Talent Acquisition within HEOR, RWE and Market Access. I have built a global network during this time and am excited to utilize this to help us grow as business. 

 

Outside of work I love sports, playing football and squash regularly, as well as going to the gym. I also enjoy watching sports mainly football and tennis. I have a new born daughter too so she is taking up a lot of my time and is a bundle of joy. I also play drums and like to think I have a broad taste in Music.

 

Eleni Tente

Specialty
Medical writing, Evidence planning

Role
Consultant, Medical writer

Degree
PhD – Molecular biology and genetics

Eleni Tente

PhD – Molecular biology and genetics

Eleni Tente is an experienced medical writer with proven ability to translate complex scientific information into clear, concise, and impactful content to diverse audiences. She has a strong background in integrated evidence planning, publications, internal communications and e-learning development, complemented by an understanding of various therapeutic areas.

Eleni holds a PhD in molecular biology and genetics from the University of Cambridge and an MSc in plant genetic manipulation from the University of Nottingham.

In her free time, Eleni enjoys diving into a good book, fishing along the coast, or planning her next thrilling scuba diving adventure to swim with sharks.

Syed Salleh

Specialty
HTA Modelling and Discrete-event Simulation

Role
Consultant, Modeling & Analytics

Degree
PhD – Health & Related Research

Syed Salleh

PhD. Health & Related Research

Syed Salleh brings extensive experience in HTA modeling, having successfully led the development of both de novo and adaptation models for HTA listings across multiple countries, including Malaysia, Philippines, and the UK. His work spans key therapeutic franchises such as oncology, cardiometabolic, and respiratory. Syed has also delivered critical insights to healthcare professionals through MYSPOR, ITTP, and IKN virtual CME events and numerous publications.

He holds a PhD in Health and Related Research from the School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR) at the University of Sheffield, UK, with a specialization in HTA and operational research, specifically in discrete-event simulation (DES) technique.

During his time in a leading pharmaceutical company, Syed played a key role in securing the listing of several key products in the Malaysia Ministry of Health Formulary and served as the primary contact for DES-related projects.

Besides work, Syed enjoys traveling, listening to music, and spending quality time with his family.

Thai-Son Tong

Specialty
Model Conceptualization and Data Analytics

Role
Senior Consultant

Degree
PhD – Health Economics

Thai-Son Tong

PhD. Health Economics

Thaison Tong has extensive work experience in health economics, decision modelling and big data analysis. He has a unique mix of experience in HEOR and RWE related research in academia and pharmaceutical industry. His expertise lies in health technology assessments (HTA), health economic modelling, simulation modelling, big data analytics and decision analysis. He has hands-on experience in a range of software and programming languages including R, R Shiny, R Markdown, Python, MS Excel, VBA, and Simul8. He has substantial experience of the health care system in the UK and other European countries.

Thaison has direct experience in building cost-effectiveness models from scratch and conducting big data analysis in several disease areas including dementia, vascular disease, and cancer.

Thaison’s PhD focus was to develop a de novo patient level model for the evaluation of different cognitive screening tests for early detection of dementia and mild cognitive impairment in primary care. He also looked at different methods for conducting economic evaluation in health care taking a broader/societal perspective. In addition, he investigated the use of Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) for economic evaluation.

Thaison also holds Academic Researcher position in School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), University of Sheffield, UK and Honorary Researcher position in University of Bristol, UK.

Thaison’s likes to meditate, and play badminton, basketball and tennis.

Shilpi Swami

Specialty
Consulting and strategy

Role
Vice President

Degree
MSc. International Economics

Shilpi Swami

MSc. International Economics

Shilpi Swami is a seasoned Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR) expert with experience spanning across multiple healthcare systems and therapy areas. At her current role of Vice President, HTA and Strategy, ConnectHEOR, she provides technical and strategic leadership. Additionally, Shilpi serves as the Member Engagement Co-Chair at ISPOR Oncology Special Interest Group.

Shilpi has a comprehensive track record of leading HTA submissions and devising market access strategies on a global scale, including the EU-5, Canada, US, Latin America, Australia, and Asia. Shilpi has worked across various sectors within health economics, including academia, consulting, and biopharma. This multidimensional experience equips her with a unique ability to offer strategic insights from various stakeholders’ perspectives.

Formerly a Research Fellow at the University of York, Shilpi has made significant contributions to public health projects and the development of best practices in the academic side of health economics. In her professional endeavors, she remains dedicated to improving healthcare through data-driven insights and evidence-based research

Hugo Pedder

Specialty Statistical Analysis and Evidence Synthesis

Role Senior Consultant

Degree PhD – Statistical Modelling

Hugo Pedder

PhD – Statistical Modelling

Hugo brings in a wealth of experience to ConnectHEOR from his extensive work in academia, focusing primarily on evidence synthesis and meta-analysis. Hugo holds PhD in Statistical Modelling from University of Briston and MSc in Medical Statistics from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and his background in neuroscience remains a passionate interest. Alongside working with ConnectHEOR, Hugo continues to part of NICE committee. His expertise includes advanced indirect treatment comparisons technique and has extensive experience of working with the NICE in UK. 

Beyond professional endeavors, Hugo is an enthusiastic outdoor adventurer, particularly enjoying mountain activities, climbing and ski mountaineering. From building rafts to exploring rivers in north of Sweden, he has lived an adventurous life outside of work and plans to continue to do so.

Kunal Hriday

Specialty
Data science and Strategy

Role
Senior Consultant

Degree
MSc. Quantitative Economics

Kunal Hriday

MSc. Quantitative Economics

Kunal Hriday is a business strategy and data science professional with experience in helping organizations crack through notorious business challenges. Kunal is proficient in business analytics, data analytics, product lifecycle management and business development. Working as a Data analytics consultant he has spent time in problem solving across variety of industries including Banking, logistics and Health and is now fully dedicated to HEOR. Kunal has hands on experience in various statistical programming tools and languages like R, Python, SAS, Excel VBA, Data Robot and data visualization tools like Power BI, Tableau and SAS VA.

Kunal also holds a Masters in Quantitative Economics from Indian Statistical Institute and a bachelors degree in Business Economics. Excellent in business communication, he is passionate about studying environmental economics and related theories of welfare optimization.

Raju Gautam

Specialty
Evidence Review

Role
Principal Consultant

Degree
PhD (Pharmacy)

Raju Gautam

PhD Pharmacy

Raju Gautam spearheads evidence review at ConnectHEOR and  has extensive work experience in evidence review and synthesis, value communications, scientific publications, medical writing and project management.
His expertise lies in systematic and targeted literature reviews, meta-analyses, network meta-analyses, value communications (AMCP and Global Value Dossiers), RWE study design and publications (manuscripts, posters, and abstracts).
He has experience working in Global pharma companies, consulting and CRO environment for several therapy areas including Cardiovascular, Oncology, Neurology, Respiratory, Ophthalmic, Rare Diseases, and Vaccines. He has more than 40 publications in international journals as an author.
Raju also likes jogging, yoga and meditation.

Radha Sharma

Specialty:
Patient preference research, survey, In-depth interviews, COA, Evidence review and conceptualisation of study

Role:
Director – Patient-Centered Outcomes Research

Degree:
MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery), PhD (Global Public Health) – University of York

Radha Sharma

PhD (Global Public Health)

Radha Sharma spearheads Patient-Centered Outcomes Research at ConnectHEOR. She has a background in medicine, public health, and epidemiology.

Her expertise includes global health research, preference elicitation, mixed-method studies, consensus workshops, qualitative health research, epidemiological analysis of big data sets, RWE study design, scientific writing, and literature reviews. Her primary focus is integrating patient perspectives into all stages of health technology assessment (HTA) and healthcare decision-making processes.

Her extensive expertise in mixed-method studies and active patient/stakeholder engagement ensures that her research is methodologically rigorous and patient-centric. Radha is an avid hiker and enjoys exploring the beautiful Canadian Rockies.

Kate Ren

Specialty
Statistical Analysis and Evidence Synthesis

Role
Director of Statistics

Degree
Ph.D Probability and Statistics

Kate Ren

PhD Probability and Statistics

Kate spearheads Statistics and Evidence Synthesis at ConnectHEOR. She has more than 10 years of experience in conducting statistical analysis in HTA. Kate has PhD in Probability and Statistics specialising in Bayesian methods in clinical trial design.

She specializes in Bayesian methods in health economics and the elicitation of experts’ beliefs and has extensive experience of conducting evidence synthesis, including, meta-analysis, network meta-analysis, MAIC, STC, ML-NMR etc. Besides working with ConnectHEOR, she is also a part of NICE Committee and University of Sheffield.

Tushar Srivastava

Specialty
Decision Modelling and AI Initiatives

Role
Director and Principal Consultant

Degree
MSc – Statistics and Computing

Tushar Srivastava

MSc – Statistics and Computing

Endorsed as a ‘Global Talent’ by prestigious ‘The Royal Society, UK’, Tushar is dynamic and enjoys approaching complex problems with a holistic approach. He also holds an MSc. in Statistics and has authored a handbook on higher Mathematics, “A concise handbook of vector space theory and field theory, Srivastava T.”

In ConnectHEOR, Tushar spearhead all HEOR activities.

Tushar’s technical expertise lies in different techniques including cost-effectiveness modelling, budget impact modelling, simulation modelling, statistical modelling and indirect comparisons analysis. He brings a unique blend of academic research, technical modelling and statistical skills and industry professionalism to support the life science industry at every stage of the product life cycle. He has a good experience in statistical analyses, including survival analysis and health related quality of life data analysis from clinical trials.

Besides work, Tushar enjoys playing badminton, jogging, and meditating.