Networking in medicine will become a matter of course in future, and will simplify as well as speed up interactions and cooperation between patients, clinics and medical practitioners. The quick, smooth handling of medical procedures and the efficient exchange of medical data, also beyond geographic borders, is essential to achieving this objective. This view is shared by both initiators of the pilot project, Grapevine World and Austrian Health. The centrepoint of the project, founded upon the comprehensive expertise of Grapevine and the medical competence of Austrian Health, comprises the integration of all relevant processes in a transparent, secure and user-friendly system.
“We are delighted to be implementing this project with Austrian Health, one of the very first Grapevine partners. It means that patients can obtain easy and secure access to national and international expertise from renowned medical experts - something being previously impossible to most patients, either due to lack of time or due to an absence of networking capabilities”, states Martin Tiani, CEO of Grapevine World GmbH.
Austrian Health provides a contact point for Austrian and international patients to receive medical advice and to coordinate courses of treatment, and it constitutes the link between doctors and patients, delivering a comprehensive range of medical services. “The diverse range of technological options implemented by Grapevine opens up entirely new avenues”, explains Dr. David Gabriel, founder and CEO of Austrian Health. “Ill people are also invariably people in top-priority emergency situations who require precise diagnoses and effective therapeutic proposals. Therefore it is important to design procedures in a more flowing manner and to close any loopholes that might exist between individual medical procedures”.
Quickly and safely to diagnosis and the start of therapy
And this is how ‘Medakte’ works: Registered participants can submit a medical inquiry via the portal, where they can also make details of their findings available in digital format. The network of experts from Austrian Health finds the right specialist and entrusts that person with the matter in hand. On receipt of consent from the patient, that expert can then view the relevant data and, independently of their geographical location, can address a specialist opinion to the patient in question.
Sensitive patient details remain on file at Austrian Health in accordance with the most stringent of security standards. The project is based on IHE methodology (Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise), the leading global initiative for standardized data interchange in the healthcare system. This promotes the coordinated application of standards that have already been in use at national level for many years. As well as their own health-related details, patients can if they so wish also manage ‘vital data’ in the portal: Data input is easy, either using an app or manually. In future, there are also plans to provide access to data in the Electronic Health Folder [the ‘Elektronische Gesundheitsakte’ or ELGA].
Data interchange via the Grapevine Backbone
Through a link with Grapevine Backbone, and via the portal, Austrian Health is able to provide medical specialists with details filed by patients easily and above all securely. The Grapevine Backbone constitutes a merger between software infrastructures in existence around the world, and facilitates globally standardized data interchange on the basis of IHE methodology. The Backbone is available to all private and public-sector organizations. Patients also obtain access via the portal and are therefore able to access, check and manage their internationally recorded healthcare data.
Secure and without complexity thanks to blockchain technology
Blockchain technology assures the smooth and uncomplicated release of data by the patient and also handles billing details. This assures the highest level of security when dealing with sensitive data, because only the patients have full control over the way their personal healthcare data are used. Austrian Health acts as an administrator for this data, and is subject to stringent legislative stipulations. “We can absolutely recommend Grapevine to other partner companies because this approach lifts medical procedures to the next level and it professionalizes the entire system. In turn, patients benefit from genuine added value for their health and can be confident that their sensitive personal details are being treated in a responsible manner”, sums up David Gabriel .
About Grapevine World
Grapevine World is a manufacturer-independent IT service provider, and at the same time it provides a platform with the aim of establishing global standardization for data interchange. For stakeholders, the use of Utility Tokens renders the exchange of know-how, data, services and products as simple as conceivably possible. Grapevine consistently pursues one guiding principle: Stronger together - everyone involved benefits from working together. For further information, please contact www.grapevineworld.com.