[{"innerBlocks":[],"name":"core\/freeform","postId":794,"blockType":{"name":"core\/freeform","keywords":[],"attributes":{"content":{"type":"string","source":"raw"},"lock":{"type":"object"}},"providesContext":[],"usesContext":[],"selectors":[],"supports":{"className":false,"customClassName":false,"reusable":false},"styles":[],"variations":[],"apiVersion":3,"title":"Classic","description":"Use the classic WordPress editor.","category":"text"},"originalContent":"The Blockchain Health Utility Network is continuing to make progress in fostering discussions around how to use the distributed ledger technology in healthcare.

Core members of the group are continuing discussions about areas in which the technology can be used, and the group hopes to a couple blockchain solutions in place early in 2020, said Mary Butler-Everson, senior vice president of healthcare innovation at PNC.

She and other representatives of the original corporate members gave the update at the Institute & Expo of America\u2019s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) in Nashville, Tenn. The group is finding more payers and provider organizations are finding common ground on the vexing problems that blockchain could solve in healthcare.

\u201cAs much as we all compete, we are finding that we agree on fundamental issues, the need for standards and data sets,\u201d Butler-Everson said. \u201cWe\u2019re going to need consensus if we\u2019re going to transform the industry.\u201d

The Blockchain Health Utility Network was formed in January by IBM, Aetna, Anthem, Health Care Service Corp. and PNC. In February, Cigna and Sentara Healthcare joined the network.

While there are as many as 30 potential use cases for which blockchain technology could be used, the hard work often involves getting competitors to take a fresh look at vexing industry problems and how blockchain might solve them.

\u201cWhen we get together and talk about a solution, like bundled payments, payers and providers eventually say, \u2018Why are we doing this?\u2019\u201d she said, referring to redundant or unnecessary data or administrative practices. \u201cWe\u2019ve always just looked at things from our own perspectives. With blockchain, we\u2019re not competing\u2014we\u2019re creating processes where we all have the same pain point.\u201d

Blockchain offers the potential to find easier solutions in healthcare for problems that stem from lack of standards or doubts about how to facilitate the secure exchange of healthcare information, said Dan Sanders, director of technology and innovation for Anthem.

\u201cWhen you talk about the challenges of transactions or data exchange between untrusted or semi-trusted entities, then you\u2019ve just defined what blockchain technology can do,\u201d Sanders says. \u201cWe\u2019re starting to see industry players look at (interactions via the cloud) and say, \u2018I don\u2019t need all the firewalls and protections that we have nowadays.\u2019 (Blockchain) removes an entire construct of complexity.\u201d

Presenters from member organizations at the AHIP session did not indicate which use cases are likely to advance next year, saying much work lies ahead in putting the guardrails in place for implementing distributed ledger technology.

\u201cThere are multiple paths we have to move on,\u201d said Butler-Everson. \u201cWe have to set up governance, solve how we control data, what do we do when someone wants to join (the network). We have to put some fundamental standards in place, and that\u2019s what we\u2019re doing right now. Each of us is moving our organizations up the learning curve while we build the (network) at the same time.\u201d","saveContent":"The Blockchain Health Utility Network is continuing to make progress in fostering discussions around how to use the distributed ledger technology in healthcare.

Core members of the group are continuing discussions about areas in which the technology can be used, and the group hopes to a couple blockchain solutions in place early in 2020, said Mary Butler-Everson, senior vice president of healthcare innovation at PNC.

She and other representatives of the original corporate members gave the update at the Institute & Expo of America\u2019s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) in Nashville, Tenn. The group is finding more payers and provider organizations are finding common ground on the vexing problems that blockchain could solve in healthcare.

\u201cAs much as we all compete, we are finding that we agree on fundamental issues, the need for standards and data sets,\u201d Butler-Everson said. \u201cWe\u2019re going to need consensus if we\u2019re going to transform the industry.\u201d

The Blockchain Health Utility Network was formed in January by IBM, Aetna, Anthem, Health Care Service Corp. and PNC. In February, Cigna and Sentara Healthcare joined the network.

Blockchain network looks to advance use cases in early 2020

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