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Like most people, we too have come away from interactions with the healthcare system all too often feeling exasperated and angry. When comparing personal and professional experiences, the root causes immediately have become clear: healthcare is not personal and there is no central depository of our own health information.

First, it’s important to take a wider perspective and understand the 3 challenges plaguing our healthcare system:

1. The system currently lacks any sort of centralized depository for personal health information (PHI). Without this depository, PHI is unevenly distributed, frustratingly duplicated among care teams, and needlessly cumbersome to access.
2. Patients do not own their PHI. In an environment where patients and caregivers are being asked to coordinate among larger care teams, this has led to frustration, decreased quality of care, and increased hospital readmissions (which also lead to more fines for hospitals)..
3. Technology to safely secure PHI is largely absent, unable to scale, or has proven ineffective. This has led to record fines, increased costs, and increased vulnerability to cyberattacks such as ransomware.

Patientory aims to answer these challenges with a system that works for both patients and doctors:

• Patientory’s mobile app allows patients to create an individual profile. On this profile, they store their medical information on a secure, HIPAA-compliant blockchain platform. Then they can connect with care providers as well as other patients who have similar health issues or concerns. This allows patients greater control over their overall health across multiple care teams, both inside and outside the hospital.
• Doctors (and their healthcare organizations) use Patientory to get the patient’s complete and up-to-date medical history. In addition, Patientory utilizes blockchain to keep PHI secure, mitigate damaging data breaches, and even execute smart contracts at every stage of the patient care billing and payment cycle.

While many have come forward to support our optimistic vision of a more personal healthcare system, others have sprung up with a skeptical eye. How can you expect to succeed, they ask, when others have already failed? There are four ways to answer this question:

• The timing is right.
  For healthcare organizations, the situation is growing increasingly fraught. Ransomware like WannaCry are no longer relegated to the relative obscurity of info security blogs. Instead, news about ransomware is loudly broadcasted on mainstream global news outlets like CNN and the BBC.
• The technology is finally mature.
  Instead of having one central administrator act as a gatekeeper to data, blockchain deploys one shared ledger spread across a network of synchronized, replicated databases visible to anyone with the authorized access. It is virtually impossible for a cyber criminal to hack one block in the chain without simultaneously hacking every other block in the chain’s chronology. This makes blockchain incredibly appealing to not only store a patient’s entire health history, but determine who should have access to it.
• We take a different approach.
  We have deliberately chosen a path that does not require healthcare IT executives to impose a new solution or dispose of their legacy capital investments. Instead, our system is a bridge that seamlessly integrates with existing EMR systems such as Meditech, EPIC, Allscripts, and Cerner. In addition, we leverage smarter technologies such as machine learning and AI to help provide better care treatment plans, which promote better health outcomes.
• Patients are demanding to own their own data.
  From Fitbits to fitness apps, a plethora of products have ushered in the age of the quantified self. Patients – both healthy and ill – are accustomed to owning their health data and are now demanding healthcare organizations unlock their silos. Our app lets patients create a universal profile to keep track of their entire health history. The will provide an easy and hassle free way of tracking doctor visits, medical bills, personal medical information, insurance, immunizations and pharmacy medications. All of this information can then be shared with other providers, labs and diagnostic services.

Join the Mission
We invite you to join our mission to make healthcare more personal:

• Let’s empower patients globally by giving them access to their health information.
• Let’s connect patients with their many caregivers for improved health outcomes.
• Let’s give doctors and healthcare organizations the safety and security of lower risk of cyberattacks and lower costs.

By doing all of this, we not only make healthcare more personal, but improve quality of care and well being for all.

We are pleased to announce that Patientory has been named as a finalist in the 1776-MedStar #Patient2Consumer Challenge in Washington, DC on July 13, 2017. Out of hundreds of entrants, Patientory made the cut as part of the final 15 challengers. We will go to head-to-head with other startups to convince a panel of judges whose ideas will most shape the future of health.

The winning startups will receive prizes and the opportunity to incubate ideas or further develop their companies as part of MedStar’s Innovation Lab cohort.

UPDATE: See the results here.

Recent ransomware cyber-attacks have exposed a vulnerable global healthcare IT infrastructure. Personal Health Information data is at risk. Unfortunately, legacy systems now administrate Personal Health Information (PHI) across siloed database networks. Fragmented Electronic Medical Records (EMR) create cumbersome access points and data exchanges are fraught with friction. Patientory is a patient-centered enterprise solution designed to eliminate many of these pain points.

Patientory uses blockchain technologies to ensure end-to-end encryption while adhering to region-specific regulatory guidelines and compliance requirements. Our solution design uses encrypted middleware to meet the high-volume demands of modern day HealthcareIT. Ultimately, Patientory empowers patients, clinical care teams, and insurance providers to overcome many challenges faced within current decentralized environments.

The goal of this post is to provide insights to our platform architecture. This post assumes general knowledge of hardware security models, identity platforms, cloud computing and enclaves (secure elements).

Introducing the Middle-Tier to Blockchain

Many of the early challenges developing blockchain proof of concepts (POCs) for the enterprise revolved around two prominent concerns: scaling and privacy. In addition, the limited two-tiered architecture (client/server) presents version control issues and is difficult for in-house IT teams to implement. Poor key management also is also catastrophic for early adopters.

With time and a maturation of the technology, however, has come evolution and the use of a middle-tier in blockchain architecture. This has enabled in-house teams to develop application functionality and feature sets using familiar tools and languages. This multilevel framework provides a separation of concerns (middleware) similar to modern web infrastructures. The middle layer allows the platform to interface with existing systems and scale more efficiently off-the-chain. The business logic (smart contracts) flows securely on and off the blockchain.

How Does Patientory Fit Into the Picture?

Patientory creates, configures, and query blockchain-enabled smart contracts that leverage both “traditional” cloud middleware and new application services to support blockchain development for nodes on and off the chain. Within this framework, the implementation of modern application services like biometrics and OAuth, real-time data and billing, and personal health insurance information are now possible. Applications can be developed using standard development tools, reducing time-consuming learning curves for onboarding and implementation.

Big Data applications on the Patientory platform is also implemented and executed more expeditiously a with three-tiered architecture. Using this framework, our roadmap can expand to include ingesting Big Data from multiple sources. Harnessing this data will unearth valuable insights for clinical care teams, as well as healthcare intelligence with actionable analytics for better patient outcomes.

How We Envision the Patientory Framework

Please see the infographic below for an illustration of the Patientory framework.

 

• First, we start with the presentation layer. This is the user touchpoint for accessing their healthcare information in real time. Prescription adherence alerts, wearables data, Explanation of Benefits (EOB), and real-time data can be found here. Hospitals, Clinical Care providers and other enterprise members interface here as well exchanging information securely in the P2P network.

• Second tier: Middleware. Oracles execute in a secure computational environment, and have the cryptographic primitives that allow them to work directly with blockchains. On the platform, business logic executes in a fabric that binds the code to a smart contract.  Identity and key management, cryptographic,services,attested data and interaction with the outside world runs in this secure environment.

• Third tier: Data Layer and Schema. This third layer serves as a distributed database of the shared truth between nodes on the blockchain. The ledger is an instantiation of a version specific contract between several different parties. Smart contracts are bound by the ledger, schema, counterparties, logic, and external sources. The platform is fully auditable and can serve to automate many healthcare operational processes.

Looking Ahead

We are confident that Patientory helps move HealthcareIT into the future. It’s not only long overdue, but the increasing amount of ransomware incidents demands it. Let me know if you feel the same.

Jesse Brown,
Chief Technology Officer
Patientory

Patientory was recently highlighted in a story by The CoinTelegraph about non-financial blockchains and called “a cutting edge development in medicine.”

Patientory, a recently launched free-to-use app, is an example of Blockchain’s influence in this area. Users can create a profile in the app and keep track of their medical history. The app eliminates the chance of having this data suffer any kind of cyber attack. All the changes in the records can be seen online.

Read more: http://bit.ly/nonfinancialblockchains

We’re honored and delighted to see our CEO and Founder, Chrissa McFarlane, highlighted by Blockchain Healthcare Review and Brennan Bennett as an entrepreneur “focused on solving healthcare with Blockchain.”

The Blockchain is a technology that is open to all. It does not discriminate based on age or gender and is built around mathematical concepts and technology. It is behind the rise of crypto-currency tokens, which are the lifeblood of monetizing blockchain innovation. The industry young, and many new companies and founders with great ideas are entering and making a large impact. For that reason, many female founders are having a big impact on the blockchain industry by founding new companies and driving new ventures.

[…]

…a discussion in women driven blockchain entrepreneurship can not be complete without mentioning the recent, and ongoing success, of Chrissa McFarlane, CEO of Patientory.

 

Read the full story: http://bit.ly/2sNpVA

We’re very excited to note that our CEO, Chrissa McFarlane, and our team are attending the Blockchain Vendor Showcase event today at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They’re scheduled to talk Patientory, how it works, and even how the platform makes global data available in real time. That’s especially valuable in a world where time is critical in tracking a virus like Zika.

The CDC is the leading national health institute in the United States.  It is a federal agency under the auspices of the Department of Health and Human Services. Its headquarters are located near us in Atlanta.

Here’s one big reason the cost of your healthcare is rising. We’re here to help it go the other way.

Learn more: http://bit.ly/talktousatpatientory

It was reported earlier today that the National Health Service in England was hit by a cyber attack. As you can imagine, we are in shock and are watching events closely. Here’s a statement released on behalf of all of us at Patientory.

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As the NHS continues to deal with a large-scale cyber attack affecting computer systems and phones in hospitals across England, Patientory founder and CEO Chrissa McFarlane urges the government to take proactive steps in adopting blockchain technology to avoid disasters like these happening to more healthcare organizations across the globe.

Patientory’s use of blockchain technology helps affiliated healthcare organizations achieve zero data breaches. In addition, it abides by strict US HIPAA Security Rules by maintaining a security compliance team, protecting relevant electronic systems and using encryption to control data access.

McFarlane said:

“This is a very scary situation and we hope lives are not endangered while the NHS deals with this situation. But how much longer are we, as citizens, prepared to let the government control our data. The hackers are demanding that ransom is paid before they start deleting medical records, yet a simple blockchain-based mobile app could be used for citizens to keep track of their medical records and more importantly know who has access to them.”

We’re delighted to see our Founder and CEO, Chrissa McFarlane, on the Becker’s Hospital Review list of 110 women “leaving their mark on the medtech field.”

Chrissa McFarlane. Founder and CEO of Patientory (Atlanta). Ms. McFarlane founded Patientory.com, a healthcare startup providing blockchain solutions. The company currently deploys an advanced healthcare app for patients to create a profile and track their health history. The company’s genesis was part of the Boomtown Health-Tech Accelerator based in Boulder, Colo., in collaboration with Denver-based Colorado Permanente Medical Group. Ms. McFarlane is now a mentor with Boomtown Accelerator.

See the full list

– Securing A Place In The MedTech Innovator 2017 Finals – 

Atlanta – May 3, 2017 9:00AM PST – Patientory, the healthcare tech start-up revolutionizing how patients track their health history, attended the 2017 Southeastern Medical Device Association Conference (SEMDA) in Atlanta last week, where they won top prize in the SEMDA PitchRound competition, and now go on to the 2017 MedTech Innovator Showcase in September and have a chance to compete in the $500K competition.

MedTech Innovator is the industry’s nonprofit global competition and accelerator for medical device, digital health and diagnostic companies. The organization partnered with SEMDA, a regional non-profit association that provides resources to accelerate device development and achieve commercial success with access to funding, education, and networking opportunities for medical device companies in the southeastern United States.

Patientory emerged as this year’s most highly investable company, fighting off tough competition from five other companies in the final PitchRounds, scooping $10,000 investment from SEMDA and a $2,500 MedTech Innovator Scholarship for their vision to deliver a patient-centered protocol supported by blockchain technology that will empower individuals to manage their health records in a format that offers true interoperability and security.

Patientory Founder & CEO Chrissa McFarlane said: “It was such an honor winning the SEMDA 2017 pitch competition and the $2,500 MedTech Innovator Scholarship, I’m still in awe! SEMDA not only serves as the central connecting hub for the Southeast medtech community, but has been a fantastic platform for us to connect with investors, suppliers, and specialists to help accelerate our vision.”

Jason Rupp, Executive Director, Southeastern Medical Device Association (SEMDA) said: “The SEMDA PitchRounds competition is a year-long program designed to bring the best companies in the southeast together at the SEMDA annual conference. We’ve been delighted by the incredible amount of interest in this this program and look forward to building it in our partnership with Medtech Innovator. While many know about Blockchain technology’s uses for financial services, Patientory’s pitch demonstrated and convinced the judges of its exciting potential for new, innovative uses in health care.”

In addition to the MedTech Innovator Showcase, which will include Patientory among the top 50 competitors, MedTech Innovator will hold its competition finals at The MedTech Conference powered by AdvaMed in San Jose, Calif., on 26th September 2017. The four finalists will make their pitches on the plenary main stage, and as part of the exciting finale, the audience will decide the winner of the cash prize and the title of MedTech Innovator 2017.

Patientory continues to demonstrate their suitability for investment, announcing their token sale last week. Pre-sale commitment levels are unprecedented and Patientory are expecting sales of the PTY crypto-token to sell out quickly when the token sale goes live May 17. To find out more, please see here: http://patientory.com/token-sale/

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About Patientory
Patientory is an advanced healthcare app that lets users create a patient profile to keep track of their health history. The free to use app provides patients an easy and hassle free way of tracking doctor visits, medical bills, personal medical information, insurance, immunizations and pharmacy medications.

The company has a strong blockchain management team and a broad based advisory board that spans both healthcare and business expertise including Shawn Wilkinson, CEO of the blockchain company Storj.

For more information, visit www.patientory.com

Media Contact:
Katie Olver, Cryptoland PR
E: katie@cryptolandpr.com
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