OBJECTIVES:

The decentralized nature of sensitive health information can bring about situations where timely information is unavailable, worsening health outcomes. There is an urgent need for fundamental changes within the current system to improve the levels of quality, security and equity in healthcare. The future healthcare system will contain an ever expanding number of digital elements. The data stored both at a centralized health care level and at a local, patient level will be core elements when deciding treatment strategies in a health care scenario with Internet of Things (IoT) based elements.

METHODS:

This pilot study aimed to provide an overview of the potential for blockchain technology in the healthcare system. Reviewers identified studies via systematic searches of databases including PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus, Science Direct and Cochrane Library.

RESULTS:

Blockchain is a shared distributed digital ledger technology that can better facilitate data management, provenance and security, and has the potential to transform healthcare. Its functions of decentralized transaction validation, data provenance, data sharing, reducing operational costs in the pharmaceutical supply-chain and data integration are a good fit for the needs of health information exchange and clinical trials. Blockchain could create a mechanism to manage access to electronic health records(EHRs) stored on the cloud and increase interoperability while maintaining privacy and security of data.

CONCLUSIONS:

It is anticipated this review will assist in the development of recommendations that will assist key stakeholders in health care blockchain implementation, and we predict that moving away from traditional approaches and facilitating decision making of patients, health care providers, and researchers. Blockchain technology contains inherent integrity and conforms to strict legal regulations. Increased interoperability would be beneficial for health outcomes. Although this technology is currently unfamiliar to most, investments into creating a sufficiently user-friendly interface and educating users on how best to take advantage to improve health system outcomes.