%0 Journal Article
%@ 2561-326X
%I JMIR Publications
%V 5
%N 10
%P e33113
%T Medical Students’ Perceptions of a Blockchain-Based Decentralized Work History and Credentials Portfolio: Qualitative Feasibility Study
%A Hasselgren,Anton
%A Kralevska,Katina
%A Gligoroski,Danilo
%A Faxvaag,Arild
%+ Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Mellomila 71, Trondheim, 7018, Norway, 47 46948498, anton.hasselgren@ntnu.no
%K blockchain
%K eHealth
%K qualitative research
%K VerifyMed
%D 2021
%7 22.10.2021
%9 Original Paper
%J JMIR Form Res
%G English
%X Background: Increased digitization of health care might challenge some of the trust functions that are established in a traditional health care system. We have, with the concept of VerifyMed, developed a decentralized service for work history and competence verification, as a means to increase trust in the virtual interaction between a patient and a caregiver, mitigate administrative burden, and provide patient-reported outcomes seamlessly for health professionals. Objective: This research aimed to validate the use case of a decentralized credentials service for health care professionals in Norway. We also aimed to evaluate the proof-of-concept of VerifyMed, a blockchain-based credential service for health care professionals. Methods: A qualitative approach was applied with data collection through 9 semistructured interviews and 2 focus groups (one with 4 participants and the other with 5 participants). The System Usability Scale (SUS) was used as a part of the interviews. Data were analyzed through the principles of systematic text condensation. The recruitment of participants ended when it was concluded that the data had reached saturation. Results: The following 5 themes were identified from the interviews and focus groups: (1) the need for aggregated storage of work- and study-related verification, (2) trust in a virtual health care environment, (3) the potential use of patient feedback, (4) trust in blockchain technology, and (5) improvements of the VerifyMed concept. The SUS questionnaire gave a score of 69.7. Conclusions: This study has validated the need for a decentralized system where health care professionals can control their credentials and, potentially, their reputation. Future work should update the VerifyMed system according to this input. We concluded that a decentralized system for the storage of work-related verifiable credentials could increase trust in a virtualized health care system. 
%M 34677137
%R 10.2196/33113
%U https://formative.jmir.org/2021/10/e33113
%U https://doi.org/10.2196/33113
%U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34677137