introduction of Blockchain Technology to the Health Tourism Sector

…to benefit the Industry and the Market - through Kwe Strategy

an “interim” and EMVIO article

…serving as a Statement of Intent

This is article serves as a Statement of Intent.

At the time of writing, Kwe Strategy was “in the making”.

Kwe Strategy (its development and implementation – and the role of Blockchain Technology) is fully addressed in the 2nd volume of the eBook “Internet Century Health Tourism” (subtitled “the road ahead”).

Furthermore, reference to Blockchain Technology (BT) represents merely a very superficial “Surface Swim”.

Obviously, for a Deep Dive, the reader will need to refer to dedicated pieces of writing on the subject compiled by ExCtu, the Health Tourism consultancy I direct.

This article is more about the Strategy than about BT. This is because to understand where and how BT fits in, one needs a basic understanding of the Strategy.

For those wondering why “Kwe”?

According to the Urban Dictionary, the word "kwe" (pronounced "kwah"), is used to refer to a deeply-respected close friend (think "pal" - as in PayPal).

Finally, this article is an EMVIO entity.

EMVIO Entities (things) have their evolution “designed-in” – meaning they have been designed to be ever-evolving (probably containing flaws) and never definitive - aiming for perfection, but probably never achieving it.

“Emvio” is Greek for “living” (as in “living document”).

A living document, also known as an evergreen document or dynamic document, is a document that is continually edited and updated. Living documents are changed through revisions that may or may not reference previous iterative changes (Wikipedia).

EMVIO is also one of the Health Tourism Strategic Concepts and Practices.

the inevitable introduction of Blockchain Technology to Health Tourism

…to serve “useful purposes” – and benefit the targeted Stakeholders

Simply and clearly, Blockchain Technology (BT) is being introduced to Health Tourism through the Kwe Strategy.

It was inevitable that Blockchain Technology would be introduced to Health Tourism – to serve “useful purposes” – and benefit the targeted Stakeholders.

Kwe Strategy was designed to do just that.

More specifically, Blockchain Technology is being introduced to Health Tourism, for the first time, as part of the process to transform the concept & practice (from Conventional to Contemporary) and repurpose the activity (from a “need” to a “want”).

These changes resulted in a number of outcomes, which included the establishment of a Sector-specific architecture and operating system (arcHTos)

The architecture part of arcHTos is represented by a set of Foundational Innovation Strategies, one of which is Kwe Strategy (see further down).

some necessary “prior knowledge”

…to enable understanding

arcHTos

“arcHTos” is the Health Tourism Sector “architecture and operating system”.

Foundational Innovations

Foundational Innovation Strategies (which are permissionless and combinational) are so named because they have a “long-term” impact and together, they open up a new, opportunity-laden, world.

The Foundational Innovation Strategies are:

• ht8
• Pentad
• Kwe
• Waft
• Punt

Internet Century Health Tourism

Internet Century Health Tourism (a.k.a. Contemporary Health Tourism and ht8) represents Health Tourism in its transformed and repurposed “state”.

The “transformation and repurposing” was brought about through the process of Benevolent Disruption.

See LinkedIn article the Benevolent Disruption of Health Tourism (https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/benevolent-disruption-health-tourism-constantinides-m-d-ph-d-/)

a very short note on Kwe Strategy

…rewarding the Industry and the Market (i.e., the Strategy Beneficiaries)

Kwe Strategy is one of the arcHTos Foundational Innovations associated with Internet Century Health Tourism.

The Strategy is underpinned by Blockchain (Distributed Database) Technology, which in turn serves as the controlling and operating system for the following “features”:

• Health Credits and Miles (the Sector-specific Loyalty Scheme)
• HEALTHgeld (the Sector-specific Currency)
• the Health Tourism Satellite Account (the Sector “Accounting System” – the standard system for collecting, processing and reporting Health Tourism Activity- and its "economic impact")
• uHTas (the universal Health Tourism Services Provider addressing system)

from the perspective of the Industry

Kwe Strategy enables rewardable collaboration and alliance formation – amongst Health Tourism Businesses – which compete against and collaborate with each other – at the same time. In other words, the strategy encourages and rewards collaboration and alliance-formation – even amongst competitors.

Participating businesses are part of the arcHTos Coalition – with each “business” being a node in the Blockchain (Distributed Database).

from the perspective of the Market

Kwe Strategy complements HEALTHwaft Strategy - by providing additional incentives for the Market (the Demand Side) to engage with and participate in Health Tourism.

Specifically:

• “Health Credits and Miles” rewards (credits) the consumer – after each engagement and participation – i.e., consumption of services (at an arcHTos Coalition Member Organization – Services Provider)
• HEALTHgeld – “credits” take the form fungible Currency (exchangeable for services and products - and other currencies)
• the “Health Tourism Satellite Account” inspires confidence in participating Destinations and Providers – who provide “real numbers” (which indirectly reflects the attractiveness and popularity of the destination and provider)
• “uHTas” simplifies the process of locating and remembering the address of providers – the need to know and remember just 3 words

Block Chain Technology

…a.k.a. Distributed Database Technology - where the database is used to “keep track of things”

In its most basic form, Blockchain Technology can be thought of as Distributed Database Technology – where the database is used to “keep track of things”.

Admittedly, there are nuanced differences between a Blockchain and a Distributed Database.

Blockchain

Blockchain is a peer-to-peer network that works on IP (Internet Protocol). Nodes in this network are every single entity or computer that processes and verifies transactions. Every node has a replicated copy of the entire blockchain database (a Distributed Database) that contains all the details of a transaction.

arcHTos Coalition Participants

...nodes in the Blockchain

Participating Health Tourism Businesses (the Industry / Supply Side) offering services to the Market (the Demand Side) are part of the “arcHTos Coalition” – with each “business” being a node in the Blockchain (Distributed Database).

NOTE
Participating Health Tourism Businesses are also known as Participating “arcHTos Derivatives”.        

Each participating business / enterprise (depending on exact geographic location) is allocated a proprietary address in uHTas (the universal Health Tourism addressing system).

Nodes

Blockchain is a peer-to-peer network that works on IP (Internet Protocol).

Nodes in this network are every single entity or computer that processes and verifies transactions. Every node has copy of the entire blockchain database (a replicated a Distributed Database) that contains all the details of a transaction.

In the case of Health Tourism and Kwe Strategy – participating businesses / enterprises represent the nodes of the Network.