Korea’s Myongji Hospital signs agreement with BICube to co-develop a blockchain-based medical information exchange
Myongji Hospital Director Kim Hyung-soo (right) and BICube CEO Kim Min-kyung hold up their agreement at Myongji Hospital in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, on 13th November 2018. (Credit: Myongji Hospital)
Myongji Hospital, which was established in 1987 in South Korea, has recently signed an agreement with BICube, an IT company based in Korea to co-develop a blockchain-based medical information exchange system. According to the official press release by the hospital, the main purpose of the agreement is to “build a hybrid cloud that combines public and private clouds, and to secure the safety of online medical information exchange system by combining blockchain technology in the process of exchanging medical data through the cloud.”
Although blockchain technologies are commonly associated with the virtual currency-based technologies, the hospital said that this project will use medical data and store new data, as well as prevent the data from being tampered.
The two parties plan to use to use a virtual private network (VPN) solution to build a security system which includes features such as physical authentication and anti-piracy, anti-tampering, data protection through device authentication, remote verification, and signature codes.
With the patient’s agreement to release their medical information, the hospital will also provide its data exchange service through the inter-hospital blockchain to other hospitals online. During the information exchange process, the hybrid cloud plays the role of data relay, communicating between the patient and the hospital, and takes charge of various payments but does not store any medical information.
Both parties plan to commercialise the blockchain-based service by 2019.
Myongji Hospital Director Kim Hyung-soo said, “When a blockchain-based medical information exchange system is commercialised, it can prevent unnecessary administrative procedures as well as ensuring safety.”
Earlier in June this year, Myongji Hospital became the first hospital in South Korea to join the Mayo Clinic Care Network. Launched in 2011, the Mayo Clinic Care Network consists of more than 40 member organisations in the U.S., China, Mexico, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates.
