Blockchain Applications for Healthcare Data Management

TLDR

The study aims to overview blockchain’s potential in healthcare. The authors review blockchain applications from record storage to patient data ownership and mobile outreach, and conduct a preliminary survey bridging technical and economic perspectives. New blockchain-based platforms enable fast, seamless data sharing among providers and patients, and the study offers a conceptual foundation for evaluating such applications and their economic implications. Keywords: Health Information Interoperability, Information Storage and Retrieval, Genomics, Artificial Intelligence, mHealth.

Abstract

Objectives This pilot study aimed to provide an overview of the potential for blockchain technology in the healthcare system. The review covers technological topics from storing medical records in blockchains through patient personal data ownership and mobile apps for patient outreach. Methods We performed a preliminary survey to fill the gap that exists between purely technically focused manuscripts about blockchains, on the one hand, and the literature that is mostly concerned with marketing discussions about their expected economic impact on the other hand. Results The findings show that new digital platforms based on blockchains are emerging to enabling fast, simple, and seamless interaction between data providers, including patients themselves. Conclusions We provide a conceptual understanding of the technical foundations of the potential for blockchain technology in healthcare, which is necessary to understand specific blockchain applications, evaluate business cases such as blockchain startups, or follow the discussion about its expected economic impacts. Keywords: Health Information Interoperability, Information Storage and Retrieval, Genomics, Artificial Intelligence, mHealth