Interventional Pain Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Illinois, USA.
Pain Med. 2019 Oct 1;20(10):1884-1889. doi: 10.1093/pm/pny315.
To introduce the basic concepts of blockchain technologies in tackling the opioid epidemic.
A narrative review.
SETTING/BACKGROUND: The opioid epidemic is taking a big toll in terms of lives and livelihood in America. Various public and private sector agencies are actively implementing different strategies to contain the epidemic. Development of robust real-time databases that are secure and easily accessible to the stakeholders in the opioid/paincare ecosystem is essential. Blockchain technologies, with their inherent features of decentralization, immutability, and easy access are well suited to achieving these goals. Some practical applications of blockchain technologies include data collection/aggregation/analysis, patient/provider identification, traceability/monitoring of opioids, supply chain provenance, prescription monitoring, licensure and credentialing, interoperability, seamless integration/communication, development of opioid alternatives, and research incentivization.
Blockchain technologies may help support the efforts of different agencies in curtailing the opioid epidemic.
介绍区块链技术在解决阿片类药物泛滥问题中的基本概念。
叙述性评论。
阿片类药物泛滥在美国给生命和生计造成了巨大损失。各种公共和私营部门机构正在积极实施不同的策略来遏制这一流行。开发安全且易于阿片类药物/疼痛护理生态系统利益相关者访问的强大实时数据库至关重要。区块链技术具有去中心化、不可变和易于访问的固有特点，非常适合实现这些目标。区块链技术的一些实际应用包括数据收集/聚合/分析、患者/提供者识别、阿片类药物的可追溯性/监测、供应链出处、处方监测、许可和凭证、互操作性、无缝集成/通信、阿片类药物替代品的开发以及研究激励。
区块链技术可能有助于支持不同机构在遏制阿片类药物泛滥方面的努力。
