Current Research Trends and Application of Blockchain in Healthcare and Medical Systems

Abstract

Blockchain has a number of built-in functions, including a distributed ledger, shared storage, verification, encryption, and immutability, and it has progressed from speculation to realistic implementations in industries including healthcare. Without the need for a central body, blockchain technology allows for a transparent and distributed setting. One of the fields where blockchain is considered to hold a lot of promise is healthcare. Data analysis, which has the potential to merge disparate networks and increase Electronic Health Record (EHR) accuracy, should be prioritised in order to transform healthcare. Blockchain technologies can help with access management, data sharing, and maintaining an audit trail of medical operations. It may also be used to help with opioid prescribing and supply chain management, as well as risk data identification, access monitoring, data storage, and the management of a patient audit trail. The healthcare system is changing to allow for a more patient-centred approach. The healthcare networks based on the blockchain may increase security and resiliency by giving patients control of their data. The biggest problems with prescription protection in the illicit medicine supply chain are related to how the medicines are made in the first place. Since tracing the correct and active pharmaceutical ingredients during actual manufacturing is complex, identifying medications that do not include the expected active ingredients can result in patient injury or death. Blockchain’s unique features enable it to provide a basis for full medication tracking through origin till end customer, and the ability to detect fake medications. This chapter covers the introduction to blockchain technology, its background concepts, and importance of blockchain in the domain of healthcare. A framework for the medical supply chain using blockchain has been proposed. The chapter concludes with various research challenges in the domain of blockchain medical supply chain along with the case study.