Blockchain Technology for Securing Electronic Health Records: A Comprehensive Review and Future Directions

Abstract

Abstract: The healthcare industry is currently undergoing a digital transformation, and blockchain technology has evolved as a budding remedy because of some of its previous challenges. Blockchain, a distributed ledger technology, can securely, safely and transparently record and store data. Electronic Health Records (EHRs) are electronically stored health information in a digital format. This paper discusses the possible uses of blockchain technology in healthcare and its potential advantages and benefits. The discussion of the paper begins with the challenges faced by the healthcare industry in present time, such as the lack of interoperability, data security concerns, and inefficiencies in healthcare delivery. The discussion then turns to how blockchain technology can help avoid these challenges by offering a secure, immutable, and transparent platform for healthcare data sharing. The paper also discusses how of blockchain technology can be used in healthcare in present time, such as patient identity management, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), clinical trials, and supply chain management. For each use-case, the paper discusses the advantages and disadvantages of using blockchain technology and provides some examples of blockchainbased solutions. Also, the paper describes some of the technical factors, such as scalability, privacy, interoperability, and regulatory compliance, that must be taken into account while using blockchain in the healthcare industry. The paper also looks over the challenges and restrictions of using blockchain technology in healthcare, such as the high computational costs and the requirement for standardization. Finally, the paper concludes by discussing the impact of blockchain technology on the healthcare sector, like improving patient outcomes, cutting costs, and enabling new business models. The spotlight of the paper is that in spite of the fact that blockchain technology does not offer a fix for every issue plaguing the healthcare sector, the study argues that it has the capability to be an important tool for improve healthcare outcomes and delivery. In conclusion, blockchain technology has the capacity to modify healthcare by strengthening patient privacy, streamlining data management, and managing clinical trials and the supply chain management. The healthcare sector must address a number of technological, organisational, and regulatory obstacles to fully achieve these advantages. To overcome the above obstacles and enable the wider application of blockchain technology in healthcare, more study and development are required