Oct 3, 2017
emids was excited to join nearly 1,000 industry and thought leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs Sept. 25–26 at Distributed: Health 2017 in Nashville to discuss how blockchain technology is transforming healthcare. The annual conference, now in its second year, brings together the brightest minds in healthcare innovation and blockchain technology to explore how this emerging technology will revolutionize everything from medical records and payments to data processing and analytics.
emids is developing a partnership with the conference’s co-host Hashed Health, which spearheads a consortium of healthcare firms focused on accelerating meaningful innovation using blockchain and distributed ledger technologies. emids helped bring some of the innovators to the programs at the conference, which featured two days of sessions, along with a 24-hour-hackathon and a code camp.
Blockchain technology is moving from theory to meaningful proof of concept, says Michael Hollis, President, Strategic Business, emids.
“The speakers at the Distributed: Health 2017 conference discussed real problems in our industry that blockchain can tackle, from patient identity challenges to population health to pharmaceuticals,” Hollis said. “There are meaningful proof of concept efforts happening with very well-known healthcare IT brands. In 2018, we predict you will see published blockchain successes.”
Blockchain applications for healthcare discussed at Distributed: Health 2017 included concepts for improving revenue cycle management and administrative functions, pharmaceutical supply chain, patient data, and identity issues with electronic medical records.
Hollis says emids is working on a blueprint of the blockchain services it will offer clients. As the technology evolves and becomes more useful for addressing real-world challenges, emids is poised to develop solutions for payers, providers and life sciences firms, all of which are set to benefit from blockchain. Being part of the conversations happening around this innovation is critical to the value emids delivers to clients, Hollis says.
“It’s important for us to be part of that journey since we are a thought partner with leaders who are discussing all facets of evolving technologies such as blockchain, AI (artificial intelligence) and machine learning,” he says. “It puts us in a better position to help our clients make informed decisions about how to embrace innovations that make sense for their challenges.”
emids’ evolving partnership with Hashed Health—and collaboration on blockchain opportunities—promises to lead to some exciting announcements in the months to come, Hollis says.
“There has been a lot of hype about blockchain, but that is starting to turn into real opportunity,” Hollis says. “We look forward to helping our clients realize the benefits.”