Blockchain-based system for document storage and signatures of consenting forms

Abstract

Nowadays, decentralized models connecting various users and entities have gained prominence across the healthcare, finance, and Supply Chain Domains. Decentralized applications represent a transformational approach to data management and transaction execution, emphasizing security, data integrity, and transparency. At the core of these applications lies the blockchain system. This decentralized architecture supports a framework that guarantees data immutability and ensures network-wide transparency through consensus mechanisms. This work aims to explore the application of a blockchain-based system for managing, storing, and signing consent forms within a decentralized framework. By leveraging smart contracts, the system facilitates the creation, modification, deletion, and storage of documents issued by authorized medical entities. Patients can sign these documents, with every alteration and transaction meticulously tracked and recorded, enhancing privacy and data integrity. In addition to these benefits, a private system with role-based access control restricts access to consent forms, as determined by the medical authority that created the documents. The proposed project of this theses aims to leverage these benefits by implementing a Corda application, a blockchain-based solution designed for managing consent forms within the healthcare ecosystem. This solution will enable healthcare providers, patients, and other stakeholders to securely access, share, and manage sensitive medical data with full confidence in its integrity and privacy. By incorporating decentralized technology, the project seeks to create a system where patient consent is stored immutably on the blockchain, ensuring that no unauthorized modifications can be made. Furthermore, the evaluation and testing section of this work reinforces the access security and permission enforcement mechanisms that are proposed and implemented. Rigorous tests and practical examples demonstrate the system's ability to protect patient data and uphold privacy standards, ensuring that only authorized users can interact with sensitive information.