Recently, Applied Statistics & Management (ASM) launched a blockchain credentialing solution called Checksome for health professionals. The system verifies data from organizations such as the National Practitioner Data Bank, the Office of Inspector General and System for Award Management (SAM).
Checksome will be available free of charge to users of ASM’s credentialing software solution MD-Staff which has more than 1,200 clients. The company said the technology incorporates nearly two million primary source verifications which are secured by blockchain.
Traditionally, healthcare professionals have to submit credentialing proof to each organization they onboard with. Each such verification process takes about four to six months to complete. This is financially taxing for the workers and hospitals waiting for credentialing and enrollment into an insurance program to be completed. The professional invariably supplies the same data to each organization.
Checksome will act as a data repository of healthcare professionals speeding up the verification process. With blockchain, the data will be cryptographically encrypted and can be shared with other healthcare organizations for credentialing.
“Checksome allows our customers to accelerate credentialing times, while allowing them to more proactively monitor their medical staff,” said Nick Phan, Executive Vice President of ASM. “Blockchain technology provides the security and trust required, while also eliminating duplicate work.”
Blockchain for healthcare credentialing has been gaining momentum with several projects currently active. Last year, National Government Services, Spectrum Health, WellCare, Accenture, and The Hardenbergh Group signed up to use the blockchain credentialing system from ProCredEx. Hashed Health initiated the Professional Credentials Exchange was initiated.
Meanwhile, the Synaptic Health Alliance is working on a provider directory. Members include Aetna, Cognizant, MultiPlan, Optum, Quest Dia and two of the largest US health insurers Humana and United Healthcare.
Aetna is also part of an IBM blockchain project along with Anthem, Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC) and PNC Bank.
In the UAE, the Ministry of Health and Prevention has launched a blockchain-based system to record and share the assessment information of health professionals.
