A medical organization in the U.S. that dates back hundreds of years is embarking on a blockchain pilot.

The Medical Society of Delaware, first formed in 1776, has revealed it will build a proof-of-concept focusing on the pre-authorization process for care providers and medical insurers. By improving the efficiency of that step, the society said it hopes care can be delivered more quickly.

As a further benefit, the trial will also create a chain of patient records that can be accessed by insurers and medical care providers.

Partnering on the project is healthcare tech startup Medscient, which itself leverages technology developed by blockchain-focused startup Symbiont.

Andrew Dahlke, vice president of the Medical Society of Delaware, said in a statement:

“We are confident that this proof-of-concept will not only address this particular pain point, but will lay the groundwork for streamlining other healthcare administrative issues as well.”

Those involved with the project are due to make a presentation at the Medicaid Enterprise Systems Conference, to be held later this month in Baltimore, Maryland.

The news comes shortly after Delaware became the first U.S. state to pass a law allowing the use of blockchain to create and store business records, including stock ledgers – an effort that was first unveiled in 2016.

Medical files image via Shutterstock