Publication Date
2018
Document Type
Thesis
Committee Members
Frank Ciarallo (Advisor), Subhashini Ganapathy (Committee Member), Jaime Ramirez-Vick (Committee Member)
Degree Name
Master of Science in Industrial and Human Factors Engineering (MSIHE)
Abstract
Blockchain and cryptocurrencies have been a rapidly growing industry and area of academic research since Bitcoin's launch in early 2009. Blockchains have already been applied in spaces outside of finance, such as healthcare. This work explores the Bitcoin blockchain and a blockchain-based care coordination system through the use of modeling and simulation tools. Two agent based models are constructed: one to represent the Bitcoin blockchain, and a second to represent a blockchain-based care coordination system, MDChain. Insight is provided that is relevant to current issues within the Bitcoin community and predictions are made as to its future. The feasibility of constructing a blockchain-based care coordination system is also demonstrated while discussing the requirements that a healthcare solution should have. The work provides a foundation for advancing current understanding of blockchain systems, and to further the development of simulation models of blockchains.
Page Count
131
Department or Program
Department of Biomedical, Industrial & Human Factors Engineering
Year Degree Awarded
2018
Copyright
Copyright 2018, all rights reserved. My ETD will be available under the "Fair Use" terms of copyright law.
ORCID ID
0000-0003-2731-3165
