Five health care giants launch blockchain pilot program

05-04-2018

Five health care giants launch blockchain pilot program

A-image / iStock

UnitedHealthcare, Humana, MultiPlan, Quest Diagnostics and Optum have launched a blockchain pilot program that aims to tackle provider data challenges.

The pilot will examine how sharing data across health care organizations on blockchain technology can improve data accuracy, streamline administration and improve access to care. It will also address the high cost of health care provider data management.

Managed care organizations, health systems, physicians, diagnostic information service providers and other health care stakeholders typically maintain separate copies of health care provider data, which can result in time-intensive and expensive reconciliation processes when differences arise, Optum said.

An estimated $2.1 billion is spent annually across the health care system chasing and maintaining provider data.

The five health care companies will explore blockchain technology to improve data quality and reduce administrative costs associated with changes to health care provider demographic data, said to be a critical, complex and difficult issue facing organizations across the health care system.

Providing consumers looking for care with accurate information when they need it is essential to a high-functioning overall health care system, Optum noted.

UnitedHealthcare, Humana, MultiPlan, Quest Diagnostics, Optum, Blockchain, provider data management, US