MediBloc is an open information service platform developed based on blockchain technology, which can securely integrate medical information generated by various devices, including smartphones, and scattered across different medical institutions, for management. Medical consumers can set different reading permissions for each piece of personal information as needed, thereby fully owning and controlling their medical information. Medical service providers can input the medical records of medical subjects into Medi-Bloc with the consent of the consumer. Individuals, research institutions, or enterprises who wish to obtain the medical information of others can obtain the required medical information resources after obtaining the consent of the information owner. At the same time, software developers can use the APIs and SDKs provided by the MediBloc platform to create various services based on medical information.
I. Project Introduction
MediBloc is a decentralized medical information ecosystem that serves patients, healthcare providers, and researchers. MediBloc issues MED tokens to establish an information sharing and trading platform between patients, healthcare providers, and researchers. Here, we can easily obtain a large amount of real and reliable medical information.
Project Features
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Maximum Security
According to the HIPAA Act, all medical information should be kept encrypted. In the current medical system, the entity that manages and encrypts medical information is the healthcare provider. Medical institutions are generally composed of a group of people. Therefore, even if medical information is stored encrypted, some people may be able to decrypt the medical information. In fact, according to a recent survey, the main reason for medical information leakage is not hacker intrusion but intentional or erroneous actions by insiders. MediBloc minimizes the possibility of personal information leakage by transferring the authority to access medical information from the healthcare provider to the patient. Only the patient can decrypt their own data, freely set access permissions for medical information and record them on the blockchain. This not only minimizes the avenues for medical information leakage, but also greatly reduces the space for others to interfere. It also eliminates the possibility of leaking large amounts of patient personal information through a single medical institution, and fundamentally prevents large-scale medical information leakage events from occurring.
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High Reliability
MediBloc stores medical information in a distributed data storage space. To prevent data loss, MediBloc continuously generates and maintains backup data. For recorded data, its hash value will be recorded on the blockchain to verify the integrity of the data. When the data is forcibly changed or forged, the backup data will be used to restore the original data. This ensures that even the owner and administrator of the information cannot arbitrarily change the saved medical information, greatly ensuring the integrity and reliability of the medical information. Only medical personnel certified by the "Healthcare Provider Qualification Certification System" on the MediBloc platform are authorized to generate the medical records of others. By specifying the creator in the record and verifying it with the blockchain, the reliability of the generated medical data is further enhanced. Healthcare providers who want to view the medical information of others also need to complete a certain authentication process and can only view it after obtaining the consent of the information owner.
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High Level of Transparency
All medical records and information viewing processes on the MediBloc platform are recorded on the blockchain. The current healthcare information system, which is oriented towards medical institutions, cannot track when and for what purpose personal medical information is used. However, MediBloc manages and controls the use of personal information in terms of when, where, and for what purpose. The access permissions of all medical records on MediBloc are recorded and managed by the owner on the blockchain. This fundamentally prevents malicious access to medical information by others.
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High Interoperability
MediBloc advocates an open platform, and can freely connect with various applications through the data and information stored on the platform. Medical image information and genetic information already have unified standards, so they can be easily converted to each other and exchanged and traded easily through MediBloc. Since medical records, hospital records, and examination result records do not have a unified standard, MediBloc uses an approach that enhances interoperability, supporting multiple formats and enabling interconversion between various supported formats, rather than developing its own standards and specifying a single format. To this end, MediBloc not only supports widely used standards such as HL7 FHIR architecture, but also provides APIs and SDKs that comply with multiple standards. If necessary, it will even provide personalized solutions and APIs and SDKs or possible development environments for specific medical institutions or individuals. With this high degree of freedom and scalability, the MediBloc medical information system will have powerful interoperability that existing medical information systems cannot match.
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High Accessibility
By storing all medical information in a distributed database, MediBloc can provide convenient access to users anytime, anywhere via an internet connection. At present, most medical institutions do not allow access to medical information through the external network. The few medical institutions that do provide this service will only provide limited access rights according to different situations. By launching a data system that does not rely on any specific medical institution, MediBloc reduces reliance on individual medical institutions, allowing users to access and manage their own medical information more easily.
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Patient-Oriented Ideal Comprehensive Medical Information System; Personal Health Management Record (PHR)
MediBloc uses blockchain technology, which is mainly characterized by distribution and decentralization, for data management and integration. MediBloc not only integrates, stores, and manages medical records created by medical institutions, but also includes medical data created by patients themselves. Regardless of the device used, medical data generated directly by users outside of medical institutions can be easily stored on MediBloc. This integrated and consolidated healthcare information can be widely used in ordinary hospital care and personalized mobile healthcare services.
Technical Overview
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Platform Structure
MediBloc is composed of a three-tier architecture: core, services, and applications.
First Layer: MediBloc Core Layer
The core layer is a distributed database that uses the latest encryption technology in the MediBloc medical data network to protect data. Since the amount of data that can be stored on the blockchain is very limited, a separate storage space is needed to effectively store medical data, and the core layer provides this function. Medical data generated and transmitted in MediBloc applications is usually encrypted at the application layer through the MediBloc SDK before transmission, which makes it impossible for anyone other than the data holder to read the original data. The core layer can be accessed through the MediBloc service layer. In addition, the MediBloc core layer also provides backup and recovery systems for stored data, ensuring that data can be stored securely without loss.
Second Layer: MediBloc Service Layer
The service layer provides all core functions, including connecting MediBloc applications to the core layer and managing user information. The service layer is powered by the blockchain, based on information stored in the blockchain, and performs data input/output functions by connecting to the MediBloc core layer. Internally, the service layer can be divided into smart contracts based on the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) and the part that connects the application layer to the core layer. Smart contracts include account information containing MED tokens and links to medical data in the core layer. In MediBloc, the amount of data stored in the blockchain containing smart contracts is minimized to reduce potential platform operating costs.
Third Layer: MediBloc Application Layer
The MediBloc application layer refers to all applications that manage and utilize medical information through the platform. It includes all forms of applications in mobile and web environments. These applications can access data in the platform through the service layer. The upcoming SDK can make application development easier and faster, facilitating the development of applications that connect to the MediBloc platform. Even without using the SDK, applications that connect to the MediBloc platform can be developed if they follow the upcoming APIs and development protocols. Some practical application and service examples developed based on MediBloc will be described in more detail in Chapter 5, Service Examples.
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Platform Components
The MediBloc platform is a distributed application based on EVM. EVM is not perfect, but it is currently widely used in the development of smart contracts. Therefore, from the perspective of time cost, money cost, versatility, and reliability, building a platform based on EVM is more efficient than building its own blockchain network and establishing a platform based on it. In addition, EVM-based development can theoretically run on various blockchain platforms such as Ethereum (ETH) [19], Quantum Chain (Qtum) [20] and EOS [21], which support EVM. Therefore, MediBloc can flexibly choose the running platform according to the technical support of these blockchain platforms, which is also an advantage of the MediBloc platform. Among these blockchain platforms, Quantum Chain's Bitcoin platform and Ethereum platform's advantages are that they are the fastest scalable platforms that currently support EVM using the POS protocol algorithm. MediBloc uses Quantum Chain (Qtum) as its main platform.
The MediBloc platform has three main information types: MED token information, personal information, and medical information. Although it is ideal to store all information on the blockchain, due to limitations in cost, storage space, and performance, the amount of information directly stored on the blockchain will be minimized. Large-scale personal information and medical information will be stored outside the blockchain in encrypted form, while only their corresponding hash values will be stored on the blockchain. Data storage uses distributed storage based on the IPFS file system [22].
2.1 MediBloc Account
Accounts that can be created on the MediBloc platform can be divided into general user accounts, healthcare provider accounts (medical personnel, medical institutions, medical care applications, etc.), and medical researcher accounts based on their intended use. Although these accounts are created and operated in the same technical manner, they require different functions, permissions, and reliability due to differences in their actual roles in the MediBloc ecosystem.
Healthcare providers and medical researchers must undergo qualification certification when registering their accounts. This is done to effectively distinguish the information filled in by healthcare providers from the information generated in general accounts. In principle, general user accounts are prohibited from accessing other people's accounts. In cases where the account owner cannot manage the account personally, others can manage it on behalf of the owner, but only with the owner's consent. There are often cases where medical consumers lose consciousness due to accidents or illnesses, making it impossible for them to authenticate their identity. To address this situation, important information such as the blood type of the medical consumer account must be recorded separately in an emergency. In special cases, healthcare providers can also access separately recorded information without the owner's consent.
There are generally two scenarios for viewing other people's medical information: one is a request for viewing by a healthcare provider to provide medical services, and the other is a request to use medical information for medical research and development of medical care services. The latter is carried out by medical researchers, and in this case, they need independent medical researcher identity authentication and authentication by the account owner.
2.2 MediBloc Healthcare Provider Qualification Certification System
The MediBloc platform has a healthcare provider qualification certification system to distinguish healthcare providers from general users. To ensure the value of medical information recorded on the MediBloc platform, data generators must be certified as doctors. If it is a medical institution, it is also necessary to confirm whether it has passed qualification certification. Medical records filled in by certified healthcare providers naturally have higher value.
MediBloc uses a hybrid certification system, combining a centralized certification method directly certified by trusted authorities with a decentralized certification method from P2P that has already been certified. To improve the credibility of P2P certification, certifiers need to pay a certain amount of MP points as a deposit when participating in certification. Users who honestly complete tasks in the certification process will receive rewards, otherwise, part of the deposit will be deducted as a penalty. The results of P2P certification will ultimately be determined by the votes of the participating certifiers. The voting results of individual assessors will not be disclosed in this process, so an anonymous certification protocol [23] will be used for evaluation.
2.3 MediBloc Storage Space
Although clinical records in the form of electronic documents generally take up no more than a few megabytes of storage space, medical image data can easily reach hundreds of megabytes or even larger. The size of genetic data varies depending on the data processing stage, but the required capacity will likely exceed several gigabytes. Storing all this data on the blockchain is not feasible. Therefore, MediBloc encrypts data with a private key that only the user can decrypt and stores it in a storage space outside the blockchain, while only storing the hash value of this data on the blockchain. As mentioned above, the storage space will be constructed using a file system based on IPFS and an internal data network.
In addition to using their own personal devices (phones, computers, etc.) as the main data storage space, users can also store medical information in the MediBloc core layer storage space outside the blockchain. Based on data stored in this way, users can easily access various personalized digital healthcare services. The integrity of the stored data can be verified through the hash value stored on the blockchain.
For various reasons, users may lose data managed by their personal devices. The smartphone and computer storing the data may malfunction or be lost, and the data may be deleted or partially lost. To address these contingencies, MediBloc provides an internal data backup system and will provide users with 1 GB of medical information storage space for free. General users can hardly use up this storage space even if they store all their clinical records and medical image data. However, this capacity may not be enough for a small number of users who store genetic data or visit the hospital frequently, and users who generate more medical records through various services. In such cases, MediBloc will provide additional storage space at a very low price. For all of these storage spaces, MediBloc will comply with international medical information management standards stipulated in laws such as HIPAA.
2.4 MediBloc Search System
MediBloc provides data search function through the service layer. As one of its core functions, users who want to obtain the medical information of people who meet certain conditions can use this data search function. To this end, MediBloc operates its own search system separately. All users can manage their personal information and decide whether they can be publicly searched. Therefore, this search system is basically only for users who allow themselves to be searched.
Users can set search criteria, including search permissions and search permission options. If the user allows themselves to be searched, the MediBloc search system will store index information about the user's data. Medical researchers can use the search system to retrieve users whose data they want, and conduct data transactions with the data owner and smart contracts in a peer-to-peer (P2P) manner.
To minimize the exposure of user information, MediBloc uses Intel Software Guard Extensions (SGX) so that even MediBloc search system administrators cannot know the information of registered users in the system. By storing and managing sensitive user information in a sealed space, the possibility of user information exposure is minimized, making the storage of personal information more secure.
If users do not want their data to be directly retrieved by the MediBloc search system, but are willing to sell or donate data when conditions are met, they can participate in data transactions in a slightly different way. Users who want to obtain data from others only need to enter the search criteria for the required data and the remuneration for providing data in the MediBloc network, and they can find the data through the real-time MediBloc search system. Users can determine whether their data meets the criteria from their personal devices and participate in data transactions through push notifications, etc. Users don't even have to actively participate, all these functions can be completed automatically in the background.
II. Commentary
MediBloc is the most revolutionary yet secure and reliable medical data platform. Combining blockchain and the latest technology, the platform boasts the highest level of data security and integrity. Individual patients can leverage their data on the platform as they see fit, which will become the foundation for data-driven medical innovation, including but not limited to personalized precision medicine, big data-based disease prediction, and medical research. From patients to doctors, researchers, pharmaceutical companies, and insurance companies, everyone's healthcare experience will be reshaped.
MediBloc enables individual patients to collect and manage their medical records using their mobile devices and leverage them as needed. Patients can share their records with healthcare providers, avoiding duplicate testing and providing high-quality data for disease prediction and medication optimization. In a world where information is power, MediBloc maximizes autonomy and assists everyone in making the best decisions for themselves.
Healthcare providers can use MediBloc solutions to deliver a higher level of care to their patients. The solution is optimized for processing, leveraging, and exchanging medical records, providing personalized care based on their complete medical record index history, maximizing patient satisfaction and reducing the likelihood of insurance claim losses.
As a real-world data platform, MediBloc can help collect and utilize not only health data generated by healthcare institutions, but also health data generated by personal IT devices such as smartphones. RWD is the supporting evidence and foundation for medical innovation, including new drug development, customized insurance products, and other medical services.
Related Links:
https://www.chainnews.com/articles/476429116270.htm
https://medibloc.org/en/
http://www.qukuaiwang.com.cn/szhb/2752.html###
https://www.coindesk.com/a-top-5-us-hospital-is-exploring-blockchain-for-patient-data
https://www.jinse.com/bitcoin/223870.html
