(Zhen Hou (l) and Yan Zhuang (r); Photo courtesy of Liz Kaye, IU Indianapolis)
It’s no secret that many regard blockchain technology as a disruptive force in finance due to its ability to provide a secure, transparent and auditable record of financial transactions without the need for a central authority, such as a bank or credit organization.
But what’s less known is that these same qualities could make the technology the perfect solution to challenges related to personal privacy, data security and integrity in health care, according to Zhuang, an assistant professor of Health Informatics in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Informatics at Luddy Indianapolis. Zhuang is studying non-financial applications of blockchain technology, including the management of personal health data and clinical trials recruitment and management.