While technology has improved access to health data, the data is often not leveraged to its full potential due to privacy concerns and concerns about data authenticity.
Nokia has partnered with OP Financial Group, a Finland-based financial services group, to use blockchain technology to establish more trust in managing health data. According to a Nokia blog, the purpose of the pilot project, which involves 100 people, is to provide individuals more control over their personal health data.
Blockchain Benefits
Blockchain technology can give people control over who they share their health data with. The blockchain ledger is maintained by parties that can have competing interests, which differs from centralized services such as Google, Facebook and Dropbox.
Under the pilot project, any data a user wishes to share is encrypted and can only be accessed by its intended participants. The owner of the data uses the Nokia Steel HR to share their data and provide proof of the data’s authenticity.
Users share their data from wearable Nokia devices and are rewarded for doing so. Participants’ daily activities are shared through the app, creating a private record on the blockchain. OP automatically rewards users with points based on what steps they have taken with respect to their fitness goals.
New Possibilities
The pilot project will shed light on possibilities for incentive models like smart health insurance and in supporting programs that promote healthy lifestyles.
The project organizers believe it will only be possible to provide trustworthy advice on health issues and extract useful insights by establishing users’ trust. Nokia’s blockchain platform has been designed to address these issues. Nokia believes its collaboration with OP marks a step in creating a global digital health ecosystem that will benefit both individuals and society.