gm

One of the main tenets of decentralized healthcare is that patients should own and control their own data. Blockchain technology has been proposed as a potential solution, allowing patients to have complete control over their health information. But there’s a caveat: effective use of blockchain relies on internet access, a luxury that half of the world's population still lacks. So, how do we move towards decentralized health records for everyone?

I came across a company in India, KhushiBaby (perhaps not the only one), that is decentralizing health records offchain and offline. They use Near Field Communication (NFC) chips embedded in cards or a necklace. These chips contain health and vaccination records. Community health workers can scan the chip and read/write on the health records through their mobile device. NFC is the same technology that is used in your Apple Pay or public transport cards. The technology functions without a need to connect to the internet.

Such innovations mean that families no longer have to depend on central health facilities or wade through bureaucratic processes to maintain health records. And as an added bonus, avoiding centralized storage eliminates potential data vulnerabilities of databases stored in a single location.

Yet, like all innovations, NFCs aren’t perfect. They have limited storage capacity, and the risk of loss or damage is real. Introducing blockchain to this model adds a robust layer of security. Even if an NFC chip goes missing, the child's health data remains safe and encrypted, and families can always control the type and amount of information that is shared even with the community health workers. However, in areas where resources to develop and implement interventions are scarce, NFCs are already a step beyond what traditional health systems and paper-based records can offer.

Blockchain and web3 technologies offer an exciting future for decentralization, holding the promise of truly democratizing access and offering self-custody of health data. While they have immense potential, it's important to recognize that the context in which they are applied matters and we can be decentralization maxis without being blockchain maxis. I love the elegance and appropriateness of this NFC health records system and how it offers a digital, decentralized tool that is not dependent on all users having access to the internet.