Blockchain Secured Electronic Health Records: Patient Rights, Privacy and Cybersecurity

Abstract

There have been significant efforts in the UK to embrace health technology to improve provisions of care. Yet, healthcare offers unique challenges to innovation, particularly with regard to data siloing. Blockchain is a shared distributed ledger technology that decentralises information storage with the potential to improve health outcomes by concurrently optimising data sharing practices and data privacy. In this paper, we explore how blockchain technology may facilitate the handling of health data in the context of regulatory frameworks, patient rights, cybersecurity and provider-centric perspectives. This is essential if this developing technology is to be considered for implementation at scale.