Developing a Patient-Centric Healthcare IoT Platform with Blockchain and Smart Contract Data Management

Abstract

The Internet of Things (IoT) has been rapidly integrated into various industries, with healthcare emerging as a key area of impact. A notable development in this sector is the IoHT-MBA system, a specialized Internet of Healthcare Things (IoHT) framework. This system utilizes a microservice approach combined with a brokerless architecture, efficiently tackling issues like data gathering, managing users and devices, and controlling devices remotely. Despite its effectiveness, there’s a growing need to improve the privacy and control of patient data. To address this, we propose an enhanced version of the IoHT-MBA system, incorporating blockchain technology, specifically through the use of Hyperledger Fabric. This integration aims to create a more secure, transparent, and patient-centric data management platform. The system enables patients to oversee their peripheral devices, such as smartphones and sensors. These devices are integrated as part of the edge layer of the IoHT, contributing to a decentralized storage service. In our model, data is primarily retained on user devices, with only summarized data being communicated to service providers and recorded on the blockchain. This approach significantly boosts data privacy and user control. Access to user data is strictly regulated and must align with the patient’s privacy conditions, which are established through smart contracts, thus providing an additional layer of security and transparency. We have conducted an evaluation of our blockchain-enhanced platform using key theories in microservice and brokerless architecture, such as Round Trip Time and Broken Connection Test Cases. Additionally, we’ve performed tests on data generation and queries using Hyperledger Caliper. The results confirm the strength and efficiency of our blockchain-integrated system in the healthcare IoT domain.