Welcome and Opening Statements

• A reminder to all HC-SIG members that this meeting is being recorded
  • Videoconferencing/teleconferencing connect details are available here
    
    

• Reading of the Linux Foundation Antitrust Policy

  • Hyperledger Antitrust Slide

Introductions

• If you’re new to the group, please…

  • Introduce yourself

  • Tell us where you're geographically located

  • Share with us your interests in healthcare in general, and blockchain technologies in specific

  • Consider posting your contact information in our HC-SIG Membership Directory
  • Questions? Review our HC-SIG FAQ for answers

Special Topic: Conquering COVID-19 Through Blockchain Technologies

How can blockchain technologies have a positive impact on the identification, prevention, and management of this pandemic?

• How might innovative blockchain technologies--including DLTs, SSI, and cryptocurrencies/tokens--solutions help to:
  • Slow the progression of this deadly virus
  • Manage life-saving logistics networks and medical supply chains with improved throughputs and efficiencies
  • Serve as a means for more timely and more accurate healthcare communications model across communities, states, provinces, and countries

• In the US:
  • Brigham and Women's Emergency Department
    • On MAR 17, Open Call for Solutions issued. Brigham and Women's Emergency Department is calling for text based platforms to help healthcare professionals (clinicians, receptionists, technicians, and others) monitor symptoms of coronavirus, report burnout, and access helpful resources. The tool would be used by clinicians, receptionists, technicians and others in the healthcare field. If selected, it would roll out in the Brigham Emergency Department first.
      
      
  • National Institute of Health (NIH) Funding Opportunities. Urgent Competitive Revision to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Urgent Supplement - Clinical Trial Optional) recently updated through "Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Availability of Administrative Supplements and Revision Supplements on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)." Additional details available here.
    
    
  • Recent US government spending package for COVID-19 includes the following:
    • $500 million for an emergency telehealth waiver. The bill would waive certain Medicare restrictions for telehealth, including that a Medicare beneficiary can use telehealth services even if they aren’t in a rural community. “This provision would also allow beneficiaries to receive care from physicians and other practitioners in their homes,” a summary of the package said
    • $2.2 billion to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help state and local health agencies. The funding would include a provision to reimburse state or local costs for corona virus response and preparedness activities from Jan. 20 to the end of this supplemental
    • Nearly $1 billion to buy drugs and medical supplies. This procurement will include $500 million for drugs, masks and personal protective equipment that can be distributed to state and local health agencies in areas that are in shortage. It also includes funding for increasing the supply of biocontainment beds, which are secured areas used for patients with highly contagious diseases
    • More than $3 billion to support the research and development of vaccines, diagnostics and other treatments for the corona virus. Any vaccine or diagnostic developed via taxpayer funds must also “be available for purchase by the federal government at a fair and reasonable price,” the summary said. The bill also enables the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure any vaccine or diagnostic can be affordable in the commercial market, but doesn’t elaborate on how.
      
      
  • An additional US government COVID-19 relief package recently signed, called the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, offers the following:
    • Increases (6.2%) in state-managed Medicaid funding. Intended to help offset the costs to providers for delaying high-margin procedures in favor of COVID-19 checkups
    • Free COVID-19 testing. Available to both private and government healthcare programs.
    • Family and sick leave benefits. Up to two weeks of paid sick leave. Employers with less than 500 employees will be required to provide more comprehensive paid sick leave and family leave benefits related to COVID-19. 
    • Unemployment and food security funding. States will receive grants to bolster funding for unemployment insurance, and the bill allocates more funding to food security programs for low-income women and children, seniors and students while schools are closed.

• Elsewhere around the world:
  • Canada
    • Canadian 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Rapid Research Funding Opportunity. On March 19, 2020, the honourable Patty Hajdu, Canada’s Minister of Health, announced an additional investment of $25M to the Canadian 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Rapid Research competition. This additional funding is a portion of the $275M dedicated for COVID-19 research as announced by the Prime Minister on March 11, 2020. With this investment, CIHR will be able to fund an additional 49 grants, which brings the total number of grants funded to 96 and a total investment of $52.6M
  • Mexico
    • A special report from Guillermo Diaz, Founder and Director of VaNeMa Tecnologia y Servicios

Next Meeting

• Scheduled for Friday, 2020.04.03, 0700 Pacific Time

• Discussion: topics to add to agenda?