Enhancing the Security and Privacy of eHealth Records through Blockchain-based Management: A Comprehensive Framework

Abstract

Progress in information technology is transforming the healthcare sector with the goal of enhancing medical services, diagnostics, and continuous monitoring through wearable devices, among other benefits, while also lowering expenses. This digital transformation enhances the convenience of computing, storing, and retrieving medical records, ultimately leading to improved treatment experiences for patients. Electronic health record systems have come under fire for centralized control, faults, and attack points with transferring data custodians. These systems are frequently utilized for the interchange of health information among healthcare stakeholders. The main objective is to overcome information asymmetry and data breaches commonly encountered in the Electronic Health Record (EHR) system. This study introduces a decentralized and trustless architecture aimed at securely storing patients' medical records and granting access to authorized individuals, including healthcare providers and patients themselves. The research primarily focuses on bolstering the security and privacy of healthcare data management systems using blockchain technology. To address the issue of blockchain scalability, an off-chain scaling approach is proposed, utilizing an underlying medium to store large volumes of data. This is achieved through the integration of Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) and the Interplanetary File System (IPFS). The proposed system provides a secure and efficient method for storing and sharing sensitive healthcare data while ensuring confidentiality and data integrity.