BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY IN HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

Abstract

Blockchain technology has come out as a promising solution to address the persistent challenges of data security, privacy, and interoperability in the healthcare industry. This thesis explores the application of blockchain technology in healthcare to improve data management, enhance patient privacy, and facilitate seamless data exchange among medical facilities. The research begins with an indepth analysis of data challenges in the healthcare system, including data fragmentation, silos, security breaches, and lack of interoperability. It establishes the need for a robust and secure infrastructure to overcome these challenges and proposes blockchain as a potential solution. The thesis investigates the fundamental concepts and principles of blockchain technology, including decentralization, immutability, consensus mechanisms. It explores blockchain architectures and consensus algorithms to identify the most suitable approach for the healthcare domain. Furthermore, the research develops into the specific use cases of blockchain in medical industry, such as secure patient data management, interoperability across EHR systems, clinical research data sharing, and drug supply chain management. Each use case is analyzed in terms of its potential benefits, implementation challenges, and impact on stakeholders. To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of blockchain technology in the healthcare system, the thesis presents a proof-of-concept implementation. A blockchain-based platform is developed and tested, demonstrating its ability to enhance data security, privacy, and interoperability in a real-world healthcare environment. Lastly, the thesis discusses the limitations and future research directions of blockchain technology in healthcare. It highlights potential scalability challenges, the need for standardization, and the importance of user acceptance and adoption. v In conclusion, this thesis establishes the potential of blockchain technology to address the data challenges in the healthcare system. It provides valuable insights for healthcare practitioners, policymakers, and researchers on blockchain for secure and interoperable data management, paving the way for a more efficient and patient-centric healthcare ecosystem.