RxBlock: Towards the design of a distributed immutable electronic prescription system
RxBlock: Towards the design of a distributed immutable electronic prescription system
复制标题
DOI：
10.1007/s13721-020-00264-5
复制
发表时间：
2020-08-10
影响因子：
2.3
通讯作者：
Acharya, Subrata
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Thatcher, Camden;Acharya, Subrata
区块链最近受到了很多炒作，研究人员和开发人员正在为这项新技术寻求独特和创新的用途。医疗领域也不例外，特别是区块链在制药领域的应用。为此，本研究旨在利用区块链技术设计一个安全高效的电子处方系统。利用区块链的独特属性，拟议的应用程序（RxBlock）试图探索如何将区块链用于电子处方。提议的应用程序为网络上发生的交易创建一个不可变的分类账。这种不变性为电子处方系统提供了急需的遵从性和问责性。它考虑了简化的电子处方流程，在私有化的以太坊区块链上设计和实现了一个原型电子处方系统。使用此应用程序还寻求作为潜在的处方药监测程序（PDMP）数据库。目标是使PDMP数据库的发展能够提供处方的必要证明，建立问责制并减少患者的处方过量。RxBlock的评估研究已经在一个国家认可的HIMSS 7期区域创伤中心（bbb600个床位）及其附属的31个相关临床实践中进行了前后评估研究。结果证实，提出的解决方案展示了缓解药物过量危机的潜力，并使设计有效和负责任的电子处方开发/监测系统成为可能。这将有效地帮助提高这类医疗服务系统的质量和降低成本。
Blockchains have received much hype lately and researchers and developers are seeking unique and innovative uses for this new technology. The medical field is no exception, specifically pharmaceutical uses for blockchains. To this effect, this proposed research aims to design a secure and efficient electronic prescription system leveraging blockchain technology. Using the unique properties of blockchains, the proposed application (RxBlock) seeks to explore how a blockchain could be used in electronic prescriptions. The proposed application creates an immutable ledger of transactions occurring over a network. This property of immutability provides the much-needed compliance and accountability for the electronic prescription system. It takes into consideration a simplified electronic prescription process to design and implement a prototype electronic prescribing system on a privatized Ethereum blockchain. The use of this application also seeks to serve as a potential Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) database. The goal is to enable the development of a PDMP database to provide the necessary attestation of the prescriptions, create accountability and reduce prescription overdose for patients. Evaluation studies of the proposed application (RxBlock) have been conducted with pre- and post-assessment studies at a partner nationally recognized HIMSS Stage 7 regional trauma center (> 600 beds) and its affiliated 31 associated clinical practices. Results confirm that the proposed solution demonstrates the potential to alleviate the drug overdose crisis and enables the design of an effective and accountable electronic prescription development/monitoring system. This would effectively aid in improving quality and reducing cost of such healthcare service systems.