HIBCCHIBCC (the Health Industry Business Communications Council) is partnering with Chronicled to make its Health Industry Number (HIN) System available to registered HIN licensees. This come via Chronicled’s blockchain-enabled MediLedger Network. By using Mediledger, HIN pharma industry licensees will both be able to access and use real-time HIN data as well as incorporate it directly into live business processes.

HIBCC CEO Robert Hankin, Ph.D. stated “Deployment of our HIN database within Mediledger’s blockchain technology represents a significant development that promises to further streamline the use of HIN data by many of our licensees, and our collaboration with Chronicled is a milestone for the industry standards process.

The need

Manufacturers, distributors and GPOs on the MediLedger Network use its Contracts & Chargebacks Solution to ensure pricing contracts align. This approach guarantees that distributors:

  • always have valid pricing for customers (hospitals, pharmacies, clinics, etc.)
  • know chargebacks are accurate.

HIBCC’s HIN data is a crucial part of identifying which customers are eligible for which contracts. When HIN records update, all participants see the same changes in real-time. Thus, there is no confusion related to customer HIN identity when processing a chargeback.

Manufacturers can now incorporate HIN data updates into business processes such as:

  • Class of Trade determination
  • contract eligibility.

The significance of HIBCC’s HIN integration to MediLedger

Automated integration of HIN data is a significant step towards enabling manufacturers proactively to determine contract eligibility for all customers. This means distributors do not have to guess what pricing to offer new customers. Historically this is a common source of chargeback errors and disputes.

MediLedger PVS
MediLedger PVS/process

HIBCC’s HINAPI Service integration with the MediLedger Network – developed and maintained through collaboration with Chronicled – will link the HIN System Database directly with network participants. Consistent and real-time HIN data distribution happens via the blockchain. It is available to all licensed participants in the MediLedger Network.

With the HIN data integrated into the MediLedger Network, the benefits of HIN data in the Contracts & Chargebacks Solution can replicate across other solutions developed for other processes between trading partners. Susanne Somerville, CEO of Chronicled, said “Incorporating HIN data into the MediLedger Network is an incredible example of the value MediLedger can offer as a platform. Future solutions can now be developed with HIN data already established as a key building block. We are very excited about the partnership with HIBCC and all the ways we can work together to bring efficiency and accuracy to the pharmaceutical supply chain.”

Enterprise Times: what does this mean

HIBCC is an industry-supported and accredited nonprofit standards development organisation. It develops electronic communication standards that meet the unique requirements of the healthcare industry, including:

  • the Health Industry Number (HIN) System
  • the US FDA and EU accredited Supplier Labelling Standard.

Chronicled is the custodian of MediLedger. The latter is a decentralised blockchain-based network. Gaining HIBCC’s HIN integration is a significant step for Chronicled/MediLedger. It extends the MediLedger appeal by connecting trading partners and enforcing cross-organisation business rules – without revealing private or competitively sensitive data. In some ways it has similarities, as an initiative to that of the AHA/Hitachi Vantara/BurstIQ.

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