This archive report was first published on 30 September 2019.
Imagine a future where your doctor asks you about your digital health wallet before prescribing any treatment. This is not science fiction, but a reality that is becoming increasingly possible thanks to innovations in digital health technology.
Charles Bengo, a 65-year-old farmer, experienced back pain and visited his local rural health clinic. Despite multiple visits and treatments, his condition worsened, and he eventually passed away after a six-year battle with renal cell carcinoma. His family's experience highlights the need for better management of health records and the potential benefits of digital health wallets.
Researchers at IBM Research Africa have developed a digital health wallet (DHW) that uses blockchain technology to enable patients to manage their health data across separate health facilities and systems. The DHW allows patients to share their data with caregivers through consent, preserving their privacy while improving care coordination and patient referrals.
According to a paper by Samuel Osebe and his team, the DHW can improve the efficiency of care coordination and patient referrals by supporting communication between caregivers, eliminating unnecessary paperwork, and reducing duplicate services. The technology has the potential to promote patient engagement, enhance medication adherence, safety, and effectiveness, and provide patients with the opportunity to monetize their health data.
Similar solutions are being adopted in European Union countries, India, and Australia, leveraging electronic health records (EHRs) to store patient information electronically. The aim of the DHW is to connect separate EHRs across health facilities and provide patients with a comprehensive view of their medical history.
India has made significant progress in developing its national EHR program, with a focus on policy, standards, ICT infrastructure, and research and development. The country is creating a secure health network, health information exchange, and privacy laws to support the adoption of EHRs.
IBM Research Africa's DHW innovation sets the country on the path to demonstrate global leadership in the adoption of novel healthcare technologies. Such technologies are an important part of President Uhuru Kenyatta's agenda for affordable healthcare in the country.
