PPDS: A Practical and Privacy-Preserving Data Sharing Model for Blockchain-Based IoT e-Health Systems Using ECC, Zero-Knowledge Proof, and Access Control

Abstract

The generation and exchange of diverse e-health records, such as Personal Health Records (PHRs) and Electronic Medical Records (EMRs), have become increasingly critical in supporting comprehensive clinical decision-making across healthcare institutions. While significant progress has been made in securely and efficiently sharing these records, current solutions often struggle to handle multiple types of e-health data simultaneously. Moreover, a patient-centric approach, which balances ease of use for patients with the need to ensure their privacy, remains a critical challenge that requires further exploration. In this paper, we propose a decentralized, IoT-enabled e-health data-sharing model leveraging blockchain and cloud technologies, designed to support both PHRs and EMRs. Our model incorporates advanced security features, including zero-knowledge proof, elliptic-curve cryptography, and decentralized access control, to ensure a practical, secure, and privacy-preserving system. We simulate a real healthcare environment to demonstrate its practical feasibility, and performance evaluations show our system’s superior efficiency and enhanced security compared to existing solutions.