Facilitating Secure and Efficient Health Information Exchange using Blockchain

Authors

  • Sagar Rane , Sanjeev Wagh , Arati Dixit

Abstract

In traditional health information exchange activities in India, most patient i.e. end user data is shared
either through paper records or verbally. Transfer of patients between different hospitals across the country
ensues a transfer of medical information, which due to the above modes of transfer can get damaged or be only
partially communicated. Even though the above model allows low-cost and confidential mode of data sharing,
the paradigm increase in medical data over the years and the importance of accuracy in the transfer of such
information, requires for a similar low-cost, confidential as well as a secure and decentralized system for
medical record sharing. This paper proposes a blockchain-enabled ecosystem enabled with interplanetary file
system (IPFS) to surpass this challenge. We put forward an amalgamation of technologies primarily involving
smart contracts, to maintain a safe channel of medical records between the patients and healthcare providers.
Ethtereum blockchain is used to build a prototype of a mobile application available to both users and healthcare
providers. Moreover, the deployment of data analytical models will allow for better pharmaceutical activities to
be better directed, and will also facilitate preventive measures. The system evaluation provides compelling
evidence towards the improvements in data transfer accuracy and security facilitated by the use of smart
contracts.

Published

2020-03-31

Issue

Section

Articles