Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/777561
32 Executive Briefing Sponsored by: How Patientory Uses Blockchain to Keep Data Secure and Help Connect Patients F rom digitizing patient records to making telehealth possi- ble, the development of exciting new technology contin- ues to transform the healthcare industry. Yet an uptick in the number of data breaches illustrates greater risk associated with the progress made. Dubbed as the "Facebook for health- care," Atlanta-based Patientory is enhancing cybersecurity by changing the way patients securely manage their health history and interact with their care team. The company was founded as part of the inaugural class of the Boomtown Health-Tech Accelerator in Boulder, Colo., in spring 2016. Through its connection with the accelerator, Pa- tientory collaborates with Denver-based Colorado Permanen- te Medical Group, which is part of the Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente system. Despite its recent beginnings, the company's roots run deep. Patientory Founder and CEO Chrissa McFarlane has 10 years of experience in healthcare. "Being part of the [healthcare] sys- tem, we were frustrated with the hassle of not having the right people to communicate with," she says. "We came up with Pa- tientory using aspects of the industry that we knew would make the patient experience more positive and help physicians make their population more manageable." Patientory users create an individual profile on the company's mobile app. Users' medical information is stored in the secure, HIPAA-compliant blockchain platform, which then allows them to connect with other patients who have similar health issues or concerns, their physicians and their care team. Patients can then actively learn more about their overall health and well- being. In addition, patient and clinician users can engage Pa- tientory's platform to better manage the patient's care across multiple teams, both inside and outside of the hospital. Patien- tory's technology is compatible with a number of EHR systems, including Epic, Cerner, Allscripts and Meditech. The tool's capabilities yield numerous positive benefits to both patients and their providers. "We're really a service for hospi- tals," Ms. McFarlane says. 1. Patientory helps strengthen cybersecurity The need to protect patients' medical and personal informa- tion is clear. On average, one health data breach occurred per day in 2016, according to analysis from the Protenus Breach Barometer. Unlike EHRs, which are vulnerable to hacks, Patientory utiliz- es blockchain technology — a permanent record of online ex- changes. Blockchain is managed by distributing nodes, each of which contains a copy of the file and requires users to agree to changes. The more nodes there are in the chain, the stron- ger the base is. This setup makes blockchain less susceptible to hacking. Blockchain's primary strengths, particularly in the healthcare sector, are grounded in its security and how it makes HIPAA compliance feasible for patients and providers. From ensuring the confidentiality of patients' electronic health information to identifying security threats and protecting against disclo- sures, Patientory's use of blockchain technology helps affili- ated healthcare organizations achieve zero data breaches. It achieves HIPAA Security Rules by maintaining a security com- pliance team, protecting relevant electronic systems and using encryption to control data access. "One of our main initiatives is zero breaches," says Ms. McFar- lane. "From the hospital side, Patientory easily gives providers access to patient information and the ability to transfer it to oth- er care providers." Although blockchain originated in the finance industry, it's now assisting the healthcare sector with building on cyber- security and moving forward with organizational goals un- der value-based reimbursement. "Even with HIPAA, we're still lagging behind [in terms of cybersecurity]," Ms. McFar- lane says. "In order to achieve those goals, we're moving in on the value-based initiatives that CMS and the government are pushing, which are about technology and innovation." From ensuring the confidentiality of patients' electronic health information to identifying security threats and protecting against disclosures, Patientory's use of blockchain technology helps affiliated healthcare organizations achieve zero data breaches.