Blockchain Prescription Validation via Shared Virtual Ledger

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Solution Overview

Problem

The healthcare system faces significant challenges in detecting and preventing prescription fraud and drug abuse due to limited oversight, education, and the complexity of tracking prescriptions, which often goes undetected and is difficult to manage with existing methods.

Innovation Solution

A shared virtual ledger system, utilizing blockchain technology, is implemented to track prescriptions from creation to dispensation, generating and verifying validation codes to ensure the integrity and authenticity of prescriptions, preventing modifications and fraud through a decentralized and immutable record.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a shared virtual ledger system using blockchain technology is implemented to track prescriptions, then prescription fraud detection capability is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefraud detection capabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the prescription tracking process into distinct functional modules: prescription creation module, validation code generation module, blockchain appending module, query processing module, and verification module. Each module handles a specific aspect of the prescription lifecycle, making the complex system more manageable and maintainable while achieving comprehensive fraud detection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A validation code acts as an intermediary element between the prescription data and the blockchain ledger. This validation code includes cryptographic hashes and metadata that enable verification without requiring direct access to the entire prescription history, simplifying the verification process while maintaining security

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If validation codes are generated and appended to blockchain for each prescription, then prescription integrity is improved, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprescription integrityVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The validation code is generated and appended to the blockchain in advance when the prescription is created, rather than verifying the entire prescription history at each dispensing point. This preliminary action ensures integrity is established upfront, reducing processing time at subsequent verification stages

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of storing and transmitting entire prescription records for verification, the system creates compact validation codes that serve as cryptographic copies containing essential integrity information. These validation codes can be quickly generated and verified without handling the full prescription data

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Measurement precision

If multiple pharmacies and doctors are connected to track prescriptions, then fraud detection coverage is improved, but data security risks increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefraud detection coverageVSAvoiddata security risks

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The blockchain ledger serves as a secure intermediary that enables multiple pharmacies and doctors to share prescription information without directly exposing their internal systems to each other. The validation codes and cryptographic mechanisms protect data integrity while allowing controlled access across the distributed network

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The blockchain-based validation system provides universal functionality across multiple pharmacies and prescribing entities. A single validation mechanism works across all participating organizations, enabling comprehensive fraud detection coverage while maintaining consistent security standards throughout the network

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS10942956B2Detecting medical fraud and medical misuse using a shared virtual ledger

Publication Date: 2021.03.09 MERATIVE US LP

AI summary

A system and method of detecting medical fraud using blockchains including receiving a prescription comprising first prescription data from a prescription entry device associated with an prescribing entity, generating a validation code for the prescription based on the first prescription data, adding the validation code to the first prescription data, appending the first prescription data including the validation code to a blockchain, and receiving a query associated with the prescription from a prescription verification device associated with a prescription dispensing entity. The query includes second prescription data. The method further includes comparing the first prescription data to the second prescription data, for example, using pixel comparison, determining based on the comparison that the prescription has been modified, and transmitting to the prescription verification device an indication that the prescription has been modified.