Blockchain in healthcare

Abstract

Blockchain is treated as a ledger system that manages data and their transactions using time-stamped blocks through cryptography and works in a decentralised manner over the computing network. Although blockchain is originally used as a backbone for the cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, its capabilities and applications have yet to be extended far beyond cryptocurrencies. In this paper, through conducting a latest systematic literature review aiming to produce new source of evidence, we identify potential applications of the blockchain technologies in healthcare. The comprehensive review looks at the professional and academic open-sourced journals published between 2008 to 2019 to recognise the potential of blockchain based approaches in the purpose of healthcare information disseminations, as well as to segregate issues for the implementation and development of blockchain applications. We identify several major application domains that present research opportunities and challenges for the future advancements and directions for the benefits of IS researchers and professionals.

The role of blockchain technology in telehealth and telemedicine

“…To support micropayments in the telehealth sector, the blockchain platform offers cryptocurrency tokens based payment. Hence, the direct transfer of cryptocurrency tokens to the wallet of the service provider presents a fast, secure, transparent, and auditable system that does not need a central mediation service to resolve the payment settlement disputes [51] , [52] , [53] . Moreover, the digitally signed payment-settlement transactions can assure the health service providers and consumers cannot repudiate transactions in the future.…”

Implementation of Electronic Health Record and Health Insurance Management System using Blockchain Technology

“…The information held in an EHR and shared on a blockchain's distributed ledger would be updated and secured, ready to be used by anybody with authorization [8]. A blockchain-based EHR solution will improve data quality and interoperability thus reducing the time it takes to obtain a patient's information [9]. Furthermore, using blockchain for electronic health records will help to reduce costs, especially in terms of software development and health record system maintenance.…”

Blockchain for Development in the Era of the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Due to its nature and public verifiability, such technology could be used to maintain and improve property rights, secure digital identities, health management, and address gender inequality [44], [59], [60]. Others link it also more explicitly with larger objectives such as the alleviation of poverty and the transformation of humanitarian organizations active in the developing world [46], [59] V. BLOCKCHAIN FOR PANDEMICS Pandemics such as the COVID-19 put emphasis on digital transformation and data (incl.…”