Survey on Security and Interoperability of Electronic Health Record Sharing Using Blockchain Technology

Abstract

Blockchain is regarded as a significant innovation and shows a set of promising features that can certainly address existing issues in real time applications. Decentralization, greater transparency, improved traceability and secure architecture can revolutionize healthcare systems. With the help of advancement in computer technologies, most healthcare institutions try to store patient data digitally rather than on paper. Electronic health records are regarded as some of the most important assets in healthcare system and are required to be shared among different hospitals and other organizations to improve diagnosis efficiency. While sharing patients' details, certain basic standards such as integrity and confidentiality of the information need to be considered. Blockchain technology provides the above standards with features of immutability and granting access to stored information only to authorized users. The examination approach depends on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (or PRISMA) rules and an efficient planned search convention is utilized to look through multiple scientific databases to recognize, investigate and separate every important publication. In this paper, we present a solid systematic review on the blockchain and healthcare domain to identify the existing challenges and benefits of applying blockchain technology in healthcare systems. More than 150 scientific papers published in the last ten years are surveyed, resulting in the identifications and summarization of observations made on the different privacy-preserving approaches and also assessment of their performances. We also present a significant architectural solutions of blockchain to achieve interoperability. Thereby, we attempt to analyse the ideas of blockchain in the medical domain, by assessing the advantages and limitations, subsequently giving guidance to other researchers in the area.

Seamless Data Exchange: Advancing Healthcare with Cross-Chain Interoperability in Blockchain for Electronic Health Records

“…However, the security challenges associated with patient data storage in IT systems have hindered the progress of ehealthcare. The introduction of blockchain technology offers a potential solution, which is explored in the work outlined in reference [16]. This research establishes the foundation for blockchain-based health information management, encompassing a public ledger, private ledger, smart contracts, and context-based access control.…”

Transforming Healthcare Data Management: A Blockchain-Based Cloud EHR System for Enhanced Security and Interoperability

“…The potential advantages of utilizing blockchain technology in healthcare have been the subject of several research [20], [26], [31], [32]. For instance, a thorough analysis of the literature by Puneeth et al [26] revealed the potential benefits of blockchain technology in the healthcare industry, including enhanced data privacy, security, and interoperability, as well as higher efficacy and transparency. Similarly, a study by Baysal et al [33] examined the potential application of blockchain technology to address problems with data ownership, access, and permission in the healthcare sector.…”

“…Cloud-based EHR systems provide the benefits of accessibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness, but they also raise concerns about data security and privacy [26]. With the use of cloud-based EHRs, healthcare practitioners can access patient data at any time and from any place because they are hosted on remote servers and made accessible online.…”

“…Improved data privacy, security, and interoperability increased efficiency and transparency Issues related to regulatory compliance, data standardization, and interoperability with existing systems [20], [26], [31], [32], [34], [35] Cloud-based HER systems Increased accessibility, reduced costs, and improved data sharing Concerns about data privacy and security, potential for data breaches, and unauthorized access [26], [36], [48], [49] Combining blockchain technology and cloud-based EHR systems Improved data security, data sharing, and data management Need for more research to determine feasibility and effectiveness, challenges related to regulatory compliance, and data standardization [31], [39], [40]…”

“…Blockchain technology can provide a secure and tamper-proof platform for healthcare data transmission, whereas cloud-based EHRs enable accessibility and scalability. They can address the issues of data silos, data breaches, and a lack of standards in healthcare while improving patient outcomes and lowering costs [26].…”