HealthChain: A blockchain-based framework for secure and interoperable electronic health records (EHRs)

Abstract

Currently, there is no unified Electronic Health Record (EHR) system connecting major healthcare organizations such as hospitals, medical centers, and specialists. Blockchain technology, with its unique features, provides an ideal platform for developing a large-scale electronic health record system. In this article, the authors introduce HealthChain, a novel blockchain-based secure EHR system that integrates advanced encryption techniques, a robust consent management system, cross-platform interoperability, and enhanced scalability. Unlike existing EHR systems, HealthChain allows patients to have comprehensive control over their health data, ensuring that access is strictly regulated according to their preferences. The experimental results demonstrate several significant improvements over traditional EHR systems. HealthChain reduces data access times by 30%, and its interoperability rate with various healthcare systems is 40% higher than that of other blockchain-based EHR solutions. Security is greatly enhanced, with HealthChain experiencing 50% fewer data breaches due to its advanced encryption and smart contract-based access controls. Moreover, patient satisfaction has increased by 35% as a result of better control and access to their health records. These findings highlight HealthChain as not only a feasible and effective solution for managing health records but also a significant advancement over existing systems.