Blockchain-Based Framework for Interoperable Electronic Health Records for an Improved Healthcare System

Faheem Ahmad Reegu, Hafiza Abas, Yonis Gulzar, Qin Xin, Ali A. Alwan, Abdoh Jabbari, Rahul Ganpatrao Sonkamble, Rudzidatul Akmam Dziyauddin

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

44 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The healthcare industry has been transitioning from paper-based medical records to electronic health records (EHRs) in most healthcare facilities. However, the current EHR frameworks face challenges in secure data storage, credibility, and management. Interoperability and user control of personal data are also significant concerns in the healthcare sector. Although block chain technology has emerged as a powerful solution that can offer the properties of immutability, security, and user control on stored records, its potential application in EHR frameworks is not yet fully understood. To address this gap in knowledge, this research aims to provide an interoperable blockchain-based EHR framework that can fulfill the requirements defined by various national and international EHR standards such as HIPAA and HL7. The research method employed is a systematic literature review to explore the current state of the art in the field of EHRs, including blockchain-based implementations of EHRs. The study defines the interoperability issues in the existing blockchain-based EHR frameworks, reviews various national and international standards of EHR, and further defines the interoperability requirements based on these standards. The proposed framework can offer safer methods to interchange health information for the healthcare sector and can provide the properties of immutability, security, and user control on stored records without the need for centralized storage. The contributions of this work include enhancing the understanding of the potential application of blockchain technology in EHR frameworks and proposing an interoperable blockchain-based EHR framework that can fulfill the requirements defined by various national and international EHR standards. Overall, this study has significant implications for the healthcare sector, as it can enhance the secure sharing and storage of electronic health data while ensuring the confidentiality, privacy, and integrity of medical records.
Original languageUndefined/Unknown
Article number6337
Number of pages23
JournalSustainability
Volume15
Issue number8
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 7 Apr 2023

Keywords

  • blockchain
  • electronic health records (EHRs)
  • healthcare
  • security
  • privacy

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