Adoption of blockchain technology in the healthcare sector is facing challenges in Germany.
In healthcare, blockchain’s data security features are indeed highly beneficial since it ensures data integrity and allows patients to manage their data. This could improve supply chain transparency and help authenticate medicine. It could also streamline healthcare identification and facilitate biomedical research by simplifying data storage and exchange.
Despite these advantages, the use of blockchain in German healthcare is still limited. The German Federal Ministry of Health acknowledged blockchain’s potential with a 2019 workshop that selected promising projects like secure electronic prescriptions and blockchain-based certificates. However, none of these initiatives have been realised.
Volker Nürnberg, a healthcare management professor at the Technical University of Munich, attributes this slow progress to stringent regulations.
Additionally, technical, ethical, and privacy hurdles pose obstacles. Blockchain’s emphasis on transparency conflicts with data protection regulations like GDPR, which demand data minimization and the right to be forgotten.
Lukas Weidener, a doctor and an investor, highlights the need for blockchain systems to adhere to strict data protection requirements. However, he suggests that complying with GDPR could position Germany as a leader in developing secure and transparent blockchain solutions for healthcare.
Negative perceptions of blockchain due to its association with cryptocurrencies, concerns about energy consumption, and complex authorization processes for medical devices further impede adoption.
To overcome these barriers, Weidener emphasises targeted research investment and development of user-friendly applications that integrate seamlessly with existing healthcare IT infrastructure. This approach could enable Germany to pioneer blockchain innovation in healthcare while ensuring patient data security and technical progress.
