Reentry

Inspiration

We have to get back to our lives!

We need a way to get people 1) feeling safe, 2) able to work, 3) able to participate in life, and 4) able to participate in society again.

To do so, we each need a digital equivalent of an immunization card--you know, the little yellow card(s) you have to show your children's school, or your university, or a border agent at customs in some countries. We need to do it SAFELY, but the virus is also showing us the need to do it LEAN.

There are 3 simple parts to this:

A healthcare provider (HCP) needs a way to CERTIFY your vaccine or immunity status.
Third-parties need a secure way to REQUEST that status...
..and you need a simple way to CONSENT to sharing that particular piece of information.

This will be a challenge even in the developed world. Yet, our experience on the ground in developing countries, particularly sub-saharan Africa, tells us that we need a solution that's robust, scalable, and easy--not just for people in the US, UK, or Europe--but everywhere in the world.

What it does

There is an app--that together with a blockchain in the backend--that will connect you, your HCP, and interested 3rd -parties with whom you consent to share a particular piece of information.

How I built it

The proof-of-concept/MVP is being built on Android with an AWS backend.

Challenges I ran into

There are multiple challenges ahead:

Helping HCPs understand why being lean and agile is important.
Helping individuals see why it's just as useful as--and no more intrusive than--offering a vaccination record.
Helping 3rd-Parties--like employers and schools--see the positive impacts.

There are technical challenges ahead, as well, though those are more easily solved:

Incorporating a more robust blockchain network, like the AWS Managed Blockchain.
Integration with existing healthcare platforms to streamline the workflow of the HCP.
Deploying on iOS.

Accomplishments that I'm proud of

Creating an Android app in a weekend. Creating an AWS backend in a weekend. Developing a blockchain from scratch.

What I learned

Healthcare is a complex and inhospitable landscape for lean and agile solutions. But it's also the sector that requires it the most--while needing to preserve privacy, security, and safety.

What's next for Reentry

With a POC/MVP in hand, to approach investors and partners to get a LOCAL network off the ground that includes local hospital and labs, a community of local individuals willing to use it, and a group of local businesses and service providers that want to make use of this information.

A seed group like this could really validate the concept, and help pave the way to roll out to more communities.