Health Records and the Cloud Computing Paradigm from a Privacy Perspective

Abstract

With the advent of cloud computing, the realization of highly available electronic health records providing location-independent access seems to be very promising. However, cloud computing raises major security issues that need to be addressed particularly within the health care domain. The protection of the privacy of individuals often seems to be left on the sidelines. For instance, common protection against malicious insiders, i.e., non-disclosure agreements, is purely organizational. Clearly, such measures cannot prevent misuses but can at least discourage it. In this paper, we present an approach to storing highly sensitive health data in the cloud whereas the protection of patient's privacy is exclusively based on technical measures, so that users and providers of health records do not need to trust the cloud provider with privacy related issues. Our technical measures comprise anonymous communication and authentication, anonymous yet authorized transactions and pseudonymization of databases.

A Systematic Literature Review on Security and Privacy of Electronic Health Record Systems: Technical Perspectives

“…Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDPS) is one such system (Acharya et al 2013;Mackenzie et al 2011;Sun et al 2011;Toh et al 2011). The EHR system should offer mechanisms to back-up patient data for authorised users to ensure patient privacy (Stingl & Slamanig 2011). …”

“…The availability of patient data can be implemented with security technologies, such as digital clustering, RAID systems and back-up procedures(van der Haak et al 2003). Utility means the system usability based on security implementation, and privacy and security establishments(Aljarullah & El-Masri 2012;Chen, Lu & Jan 2012;Stingl & Slamanig 2011;Sun et al 2011;Tsai 2010;van der Haak et al 2003;Zhang & Liu 2010). Cloud computing designs can help provide a high level of availability and utility of EHR information(Aljarullah & El-Masri 2012;Hsieh & Chen 2012;Huang et al 2013;Li et al 2013;Singh et al 2013;Stingl & Slamanig 2011).…”

Capabilities and Advantages of Cloud Computing in the Implementation of Electronic Health Record

“…For example: Use of encryption and decryption concepts such as character-based encryption, unique encryption, public and private key encryption, combination of private and public key encryption, symmetric, authentication, digital signature, etc. (13, 14, 16, 19-25, 27, 32, 35-37). …”

Integrated, Reliable and Cloud-Based Personal Health Record : A Scoping Review

“…EHR is an electronic version of the patient medical record kept by physicians and hospitals [11]. EHR integrates patient health information from different healthcare centers, and it is shared between them [12]. While EHR is controlled and intended for use by medical providers, PHR is controlled by patient [11].…”