Gem, a blockchain technology platform, has launched Gem Health, an initiative for building an inclusive blockchain ecosystem for healthcare.
 
Gem Health wants to provide the data infrastructure to support a globally integrated healthcare continuum, according to a release. This includes a community driven educational component and plans to build a private Ethereum network for developing enterprise healthcare applications. 

The launch coincides with Gem’s first enterprise partner in healthcare coming on board and Gem is continuing to partner with technology companies, financial institutions, consultancy firms and care providers to take an industry-driven approach to application and infrastructure development. 
 
"Blockchain technology will create a new fabric that connects the entire healthcare industry, weaving together critical data from every stage of the continuum of care," said Micah Winkelspecht, Gem founder and CEO. "Blockchains address the trade-off between data availability and data security. For healthcare, this enables hospitals, insurance companies and labs to connect in real-time and share information instantly and seamlessly--without exposing those channels to theft or forgery.” 
 
Blockchains are a protocol that produces an irrefutable log of network activity that is both cryptographically secured and relayed across a vast distribution network. Because the integrity of this history can be proved with mathematics, everyone can trust that it is secure and true.

Gem offers GemOS, the basic operating system needed to access, query, program, record and authenticate information on a blockchain. Additionally, Gem develops and supports applications for domain specific use cases.