Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) represents the wisdom of ancient Chinese healthcare philosophy, while Chinese herbal medicine (Chinese Materia Medica) serves as one of its core therapeutic methods. In modern China, TCM hospitals often provide herbal decoction services, where prescribed herbs are boiled and packaged on behalf of patients and then delivered directly to their homes.
While this service greatly improves convenience, it has also raised public concerns. Some patients worry about the authenticity of medicinal herbs, particularly expensive ingredients, and the transparency of the decoction process. Questions regarding quality control, traceability, and data security have become increasingly important.
To address these challenges, Shanghai Xiangshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine launched the Huangpu District Chinese Herbal Pieces Service Management Platform, a blockchain-powered system developed with the support of Hyperchain Technology.
The platform establishes a trusted, end-to-end quality and traceability framework for the entire TCM decoction and distribution process. By leveraging blockchain’s tamper-proof and transparent data features, the system records key information throughout every stage, from herb sourcing and hospital processing to final delivery, ensuring that all records are authentic, auditable, and immutable.
Key Features
- Full-chain traceability: Patients and regulators can view detailed information about herbal origins, suppliers, decoction batches, and logistics in real time.
- Data integrity and security: Blockchain prevents data tampering across hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, and logistics providers.
- Quality control compliance: The system strengthens regulatory oversight and minimizes the risk of counterfeit or substandard herbs entering the supply chain.
To date, the system has been adopted by 377 medical institutions and 30 pharmaceutical enterprises, withover one million TCM prescriptions securely recorded on the blockchain. This initiative enhances trust, transparency, and efficiency across the TCM service chain, allowing patients to enjoy a safer, more reliable, and patient-centric healthcare experience rooted in traditional Chinese medicine.