2019 Gartner research indicated that blockchain is having the best impact in two sectors. The first, which came as no surprise, was the financial sector. But secondly, they found that blockchain was delivering even better results in the public sector.
‘Blockchain has the potential to transform government services by providing a transparent, authoritative record of government transactions and reducing friction between public- and private-sector ecosystems. It is likely to transform many government functions, such as identities, voting, public records, procurement and regulatory oversight of supply chain risk.’
Blockchain features that add value to the public sector
Although it came unexpected for many, Muhammad Salman Anjum, managing director of Aventis Tech, a B2B and B2C blockchain provider and Head of BSV Hub – Middle East South Asia – says it should come as no surprise as enterprise blockchain has numerous applications in the public sector, including cybersecurity, digital identity and multi-channel citizen engagement.
Cybersecurity via blockchain
The SolarWinds hack of 2020 affected at least 10 of our most sensitive federal government networks.
When it comes to applications where citizens’ private data, like healthcare information, is involved, we must ask, is there a better security system to defend and detect our data and identity from future cyber attacks than existing technology?
Although blockchain is better understood for its data and value transfer functionality, network architects are waking up to how the implementation of a public blockchain infrastructure can provide the utmost level of cybersecurity to any system.
The BSV blockchain checks all of the boxes of the CIA triad of information security: confidentiality, integrity and availability of data.
Citizen digital identity on blockchain
According to Gartner, ‘Digital identity is the ability to prove an individual’s identity via any government digital channel that is available to citizens.’ Once again, it is critical for governments to ensure the integrity of the data they collect as well as the security of the information after it’s captured.
Multichannel citizen engagement on a public blockchain platform
‘Governments that meet citizens on their own terms and via their preferred channels, such as in person, by phone, via mobile device through smart speakers, chatbots or via augmented reality, will meet citizen expectations and achieve program outcomes.’
Gartner
While the security and integrity of the data underlying such applications is once again crucial, a public blockchain like the BSV blockchain is the ideal infrastructure to provide an interoperable platform for any and all possible digital services.
Use case: collaboration between a private healthcare entity and government services
So, how can private healthcare enterprises use these blockchain features to work with government agencies to deliver solutions that benefit the public good?
Ron Austring, Chief Scientist of EHR Data, is merging the worlds of healthcare, data, technology and blockchain to design and implement software solutions to solve healthcare data challenges in collaboration with the public sector.
EHR Data’s initial exposure to the government took place as they were building out a solution for the opioid crisis in the United States. They wanted to act as a facilitator to process opioid prescriptions in the USA to create a single source of truth.
The Assistant to the Surgeon General introduced EHR Data to the right people in Washington. They ended up talking to a Dr Gerard Cox who served as the Assistant Deputy Under Secretary for Health, Policy and Services seeking a mandate to act as facilitator for opioid prescriptions.
During initial conversations, EHR Data illustrated their technology and how it could interface with the switches of the United States where all the prescription transactions go through. The process is similar to a VISA credit card transaction: the operation starts in the pharmacy, goes through a switch and gets passed to an insurance company. EHR Data’s system hooked into that network to capture all the opioid prescriptions.
Initially EHR Data refrained from talking about blockchain and digital currencies, but as the discussions continued they discovered a mutual interest in the concept. The US government was very open to innovation of blockchain and digital currency.
Blockchain for government
If you are interested in exploring blockchain solutions for your government project, we invite you to stay abreast of the Bitcoin SV Technical Standards Committee (TSC) ventures (request email updates with two-clicks).
The TSC furthers Bitcoin SV’s utility for such projects by promoting technical excellence, enhancing interoperability through standardisation, facilitating industry participation in the development of global standards and ensuring technical standards are maintained and freely available.
