BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY IN HEALTHCARE: SECURING DATA AND ENHANCING TRUST

Authors

  • Dr. Ayesha R. Khan Department of Health Informatics, University of Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan Author
  • Prof. Muhammad Tariq Aslam Institute of Biomedical Engineering, NED University, Karachi, Pakistan Author
  • Dr. Emily J. Carter Centre for Digital Health, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK Author
  • Prof. Carlos M. Reyes Department of Health Technology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.71465/jhmri61

Keywords:

blockchain, healthcare, data security, interoperability, patient trust, electronic health records, decentralized systems

Abstract

The integration of blockchain technology within healthcare holds great promise for enhancing data security, interoperability, and patient trust through immutable recordkeeping and decentralized access control. This article explores the theoretical underpinnings, current implementations, and future potential of blockchain deployments in healthcare environments. We discuss how blockchain addresses critical challenges such as data breaches, fragmented electronic health records (EHRs), and regulatory transparency, while also evaluating existing limitations related to scalability, privacy regulation, and integration with legacy systems. The article is structured into five sections: (1) Blockchain fundamentals and trust advantages; (2) Securing EHRs and interoperability; (3) Consent management and patient sovereignty; (4) Challenges and mitigations; and (5) Future research directions. A summary and bibliographic references are provided, and a graph depicts the projected cost savings from blockchain adoption by 2025.

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Published

2023-09-30

Issue

Vol. 1 No. 3 (2023): Journal of Health, Medical Research and Innovations

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2023 Dr. Ayesha R. Khan, Prof. Muhammad Tariq Aslam, Dr. Emily J. Carter, Prof. Carlos M. Reyes (Author)

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

All articles published in the Journal of Health, Medical Research and Innovations are distributed under an open access license. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication. The published content can be freely accessed, shared, and reused for non-commercial purposes, provided proper citation is maintained and the original work is not altered.