Chennai: IIT Madras researchers have developed ‘BlockTrack’, a first-of-its-kind blockchain-based secure medical data and information exchange system for a mobile phone-based application, which is currently being field-tested at the institute’s hospital.
‘BlockTrack’ is said to be a blockchain-based secure medical data and information exchange system for a mobile phone-based application.
BlockTrack is developed by a team led by Prof Prabhu Rajagopal, Lead Faculty for Remote Diagnostics, Center for Nondestructive Evaluation (CNDE), Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras.The system has been developed with the support of Infosys.
A release said BlockTrack aims to securely digitise healthcare information systems while ensuring protection of sensitive personal information and medical records by decentralising the control and ownership of patient data, through a blockchain-based innovation. The BlockTrack innovation is now protected through a provisional IP filed with the Indian Patent Office.
The Android version has been developed separately for patients and doctors. It opens up universal and transferable healthcare information management with a strong emphasis on data privacy and tracking the spread of infectious diseases across geographies.
It allows the interoperability of systems from multiple hospitals, institutes, and healthcare organisations. The patient can choose to visit any healthcare facility which is on BlockTrack’s blockchain network without any concerns about duplication of records or re-registrations, said the release.
The new device is expected to securely digitise healthcare information systems while ensuring the protection of sensitive personal information and medical records by decentralizing the control and ownership of patient data, through a blockchain-based innovation. The new system was developed during the height of Covid-19 pandemic last year.
BlockTrack is developed by a team led by Prabhu Rajagopal, Lead Faculty for Remote Diagnostics, Center for Nondestructive Evaluation (CNDE), Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras.
According to K VijayRaghavan, Principal Scientific Adviser, Government of India, said, “The National Digital Health Mission launched by the Indian Government last year had secure processing of individual data and easy accessibility of digitalised personal and medical records by individuals and health service providers as its two important objectives. Effective implementation of these objectives will require leveraging emerging technologies. BlockTrack is a step in the right direction.”