Exploring the COVID-19 Pandemic as a Catalyst for Behavior Change Among Patient Health Record App Users in Taiwan:...

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Blockchain Technology
• Public Health

Background:

• Personal health records (PHRs) became crucial during COVID-19 for remote patient data management.
• Taiwan's National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) offers the My Health Bank (MHB) service for cross-hospital data access.
• Low participation rates in the existing MHB system highlighted a need for improved accessibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To integrate the MHB SDK with a blockchain-enabled mobile app for enhanced PHR management.
• To analyze app usage data to understand patient engagement with PHRs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Main Methods:

• Integrated the MHB SDK into a pre-existing blockchain-enabled mobile application.
• Utilized blockchain technology for secure encryption and synchronization of PHR data.
• Analyzed app access logs to compare patient activity during different COVID-19 infection periods.

Main Results:

• Successfully enabled retrieval of cross-hospital medical data, including COVID-19 testing and vaccination information.
• Observed a steady increase in blockchain account creation and app subscriptions from January 2020 onwards.
• Reported peak usage of the app for outpatient and emergency department notes and lab results coinciding with COVID-19 outbreaks.

Conclusions:

• Developed a blockchain-enabled mobile app for integrating PHRs from MHB and hospital data.
• Demonstrated a substantial increase in PHR usage and health awareness driven by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Highlighted the potential of integrated PHR systems in improving patient engagement with their health data.