PoweringthePhysicianPatientRelationshipwithHIEofOneBlockchainHealthITAdrianGropper,MDAugust7,2016●AddresswhetherthereisaplaceinhealthITand/orhealthcarerelatedresearchforthetechnology[1];Physicianssteertreatmenttogetherwithpatientsandareresponsibleforthevastmajorityofdecisions,andthereforeexpenditures,inhealthcare.Yetthetechnologythatmediatesthephysicianpatientrelationshiptodayisnotdirectlypurchasedorcontrolledbyeitherthephysiciansorthepatients.Electronichealthrecordsandhealthinformationexchangetechnologyaresoldasstrategicassetstoinstitutions,typicallyverylargebusinesses,thatcurrentlyhaveincentivestomaximizeinstitutionalgrowth.Weseekabetterbalanceofinstitutionalneedswiththeneedsofphysiciansandpatients.Itiswidelyacceptedthatreducinghealthcarecostgrowthrequiresgenuinepracticereform.Fewinstitutions,however,areplanningtoreducetheirownsize.Byfocusinghealthinformationtechnologyandinteroperabilityonthephysicianpatientrelationshipwebypasstheinertiaofinstitutions,fertilizetheenvironmentforvaluebasedpayment,andoptimizecareoptionsamonghospitals,thecommunity,andhome,asappropriate.Blockchainiswidelyrecognizedforitsabilitytoempowerinnovatorsandindividualsonalargescaleinanenvironmentthatincludesthenecessityofinstitutions.TheappropriateapplicationofblockchaintechnologytohealthITcanshiftthebalancetothephysicianpatientrelationship.It’shardtoimagineamoreeffectivelubricantforinnovationinourcomplexprivatizedhealthcaresystem.●DescribethevalueofBlockchaintothehealthcaresystem;Blockchainhasprovenvalueatreducingtransactioncostsintradingsystemsandexpandingtheaccessiblemarketforinnovators.Itdoesthisbyshiftingpowertotheedgesofthenetworktheconsumers.Thispaperdescribesastandardsbasedwayforblockchaintoshiftdecisionmakingandpurchasingpowertophysiciansandpatients.ShiftingcontrolofhealthITawayfromthehospitalnotonlyopensthemarketmakingitaccessibletophysiciansandpatientsbutitalsoopensthemarketfordecisionsupportatthepointofcare.Forexample,hospitalsarereluctanttoshowphysiciansth...
