Anonymized Distributed PHR Using Blockchain for Openness and Non-Repudiation Guarantee

Stud Health Technol Inform. 2018:255:170-174.

Abstract

We introduce our solution developed for data privacy, and specifically for cognitive security that can be enforced and guaranteed using blockchain technology in SAAL (Smart Ambient Assisted Living) environments. Personal clinical and demographic information segments to various levels that assures that it can only be rebuilt at the interested and authorized parties and no profiling can be extracted from the blockchain itself. Using our proposal the access to a patient's clinical process resists tampering and ransomware attacks that have recently plagued the HIS (Hospital Information Systems) in various countries. The core of the blockchain model assures non-repudiation possible by any of the involved information producers thus maintaining ledger fidelity of the enclosed historical process information. One important side effect of this data infrastructure is that it can be accessed in open form, for research purposes for instance, since no individual re-identification or group profiling is possible by any means.

Keywords: Blockchain; Data privacy; Healthcare Process; Home Based Care; Interoperability; IoT.

MeSH terms

  • Computer Security*
  • Delivery of Health Care*
  • Humans
  • Privacy*
  • Research
  • Technology