W7: BLOCKCHAIN 101
Waterfront 1A

Tuesday, April 16| 8:00 - 11:30 am

ABOUT THIS WORKSHOP:

What is blockchain? Is it really beyond the hype? This session features a basic education of blockchain fundamentals, an exploration of the components that make the technology valuable, and a broad overview of the different use cases that are gaining the most traction and having the most impact within the healthcare and life sciences industry.

WORKSHOP AGENDA:

8:00 am Instructor Welcome and Introduction

Mark Treshock, Global Blockchain Solutions Leader, Healthcare and Life Sciences, IBM

Abigail Sirus, Senior Blockchain Consultant, IBM

8:05 Blockchain Overview: What is Blockchain and Why is it Valuable?

This session will answer the following questions:

-       What is blockchain?

-       How is it related to bitcoin?

-       Is it new? What are its major technological components?

-       How is it different than a distributed database?

-       What are some real-world examples of how blockchain is already making an impact?

8:50 Blockchain in Healthcare or Clinical Trials

The most prevalent use cases in healthcare center around bundled payments, claims processing, provider directory and credentialing, and consent management. In clinical trials, blockchain use cases focus on optimizing the clinical supply chain to speed time to market and keeping track of patient consent. Mark will also talk about how Anthem, Aetna, HCSC, PNC Bank and IBM recently announced the formation of a Health Utility Network for blockchain collaboration.

9:30 Coffee Break

10:00 Blockchain for Pharma

The pharmaceutical industry is experimenting with blockchain in a number of ways. Notably, blockchain is being used to enable compliance with the Drug Supply Chain Security Act, or for serialization and traceability of prescription drugs. A blockchain network for pharmaceuticals also has implications for supply chain optimization, demand forecasting, disputes reconciliation, contract management and could be part of the efforts to combating the opioid crisis.

10:40 Blockchain for Patient Privacy

One of the ways that blockchain has already proven transformational is by enabling distributed, decentralized, trusted identity management. This session will touch on the potential impact of using blockchain to grant consent, manage electronic medical records, and demonstrate patient adherence in light of GDPR and enhanced regulation around data privacy.

11:20 Wrap-Up Discussion

11:30 End of Workshop

INSTRUCTORS:

Abigail Sirus, Senior Blockchain Consultant, IBM

Abigail Sirus is a Senior Blockchain Consultant at IBM who focuses on the Healthcare and Life Science industries. Abigail is passionate about helping clients understand how blockchain may transform healthcare and the potential business value that can be unlocked by a blockchain-enabled solution. Abigail's experience with distributed ledger technology includes implementing Blockchain on a project for Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) compliance at one of the largest pharmaceutical manufacturers in the U.S. Her interest in Blockchain was sparked when she learned about the technology’s potential for social impact through sub-Saharan Africa land title tracking and micropayments optimization.

Mark Treshock, Global Blockchain Solutions Leader, Healthcare and Life Sciences, IBM

Mark Treshock is IBM’s Global Leader for Blockchain Solutions in Healthcare and Life Sciences. Mark has spent his career helping companies and their customers benefit from digital transformation and is passionate about Blockchain’s potential to transform industries. He has presented on how Blockchain and Analytics can transform the pharmaceutical supply chain at the White House and on Capitol Hill. Mark lives in New York and has a MBA from Cornell, a MS in Computer Science from Columbia University, a MPS in Interactive Media from New York University, and a BA from the University of Pennsylvania.