Blockchain: what’s the hype, what’s the promise?

The healthcare industry has seen waves of hype around an array of technologies over the last century or so — each one promising to be revolutionary in its own way. Most recently blockchain has become the go-to topic in the future of healthcare. Industry players are promising the technology can link patients’ medical records, verify medications and more, but like many new tools it has been met with a healthy dose of skepticism.

“It is like any new technology or innovation or government structure: there is a big learning curve. Think about it, it took a long time for...