The Russian Ministry of Health, in cooperation with Vnesheconombank, will work on and deliver pilot projects using blockchain technology.

Chairman of Vnesheconombank Sergey Gorkov and Russian Minister of Health Veronika Skvortsova met recently to discuss the application of blockchain technology in the public healthcare system. Skvortsova said that the Ministry is interested in cooperating with VEB to embark on the development and delivery stages of blockchain projects.

Recently, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law on information technologies in health and medical services to provide for electronic document management and electronic prescriptions, as well as telemedicine services. There are plans to introduce a single patient identification and authentication system of the electronic government and to exchange information via a single interdepartmental electronic liaison system.

VEB has been involved in the blockchain space for quite some time. In June 2017, Gorkov said that they are making efforts to introduce blockchain technology at the government level as well as bank-internally through financial funding transactions and investment projects management. In his recent statement, he revealed plans to launch a blockchain-focused ‘Center of Competencies’.

“In September, VEB is launching its Centre of Competencies with a focus on blockchain. The Centre will engage in the development of private blockchain using the concerted efforts of the VEB team and an international professional team capable of accomplishing the tasks set by the Ministry of Health. In its turn, the Ministry is to define areas of blockchain application. To ensure greater consistency of work, we invite the Ministry of Health to join the blockchain working group,” said Sergey Gorkov.

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