Indiana University Health is test-driving the use of blockchain in two areas to improve healthcare information security, says CISO Mitch Parker.

"Right now, we are working with several of our vendors that are exploring the use of the technology, and we're working to provide them with the good security guideposts so that we can make sure we're fully compliant with HIPAA and HITECH in putting solutions in place that work," Parker says in an interview with Information Security Media Group at the HIMSS19 conference in Orlando, Florida.

"We're looking at it in two different categories ... verification and validation of existing information for an audit capacity and also in the information interchange capacity as well," he says.

In the interview (see audio link below photo), Parker also discusses:

The healthcare information security benefits and risks of blockchain distributed ledger technology; Potential breaches involving blockchain; Why he envisions blockchain evolving into a utility concept; His predictions about the use of blockchain in the healthcare sector.

Parker is CISO at Indiana University Health, based in Indianapolis. He formerly served as CISO at the four-hospital Temple University Health System as well as CISO for Temple's clinical faculty practice plan, Temple University Physicians. Previously, he was an information security consultant to the Defense Logistics Agency and others.