BLOCKCHAIN HEALTHCARE: REDEFININGDATA OWNERSHIP AND TRUST IN THEMEDICAL ECOSYSTEM

Abstract

As healthcare systems migrate towards digitized data management, the secure and privacy-preserving exchange of medical information becomes paramount. Traditional centralized infrastructures suffer from vulnerabilities, data breaches, and limited patient control, jeopardizing both security and autonomy. Enter blockchain technology, a distributed ledger infrastructure offering a paradigm shift in healthcare data sharing. This paper delves into the transformative potential of blockchain in securing sensitive medical data while empowering patients with control over their information. We explore how blockchain's immutable and tamper-proof nature fosters data integrity, minimizing the risk of unauthorized access and malicious alterations. Patients are further empowered through fine-grained access control mechanisms, allowing them to grant or revoke access to specific institutions and individuals, thereby promoting autonomy and privacy. The paper dives deeper into addressing privacy concerns inherent to blockchain's transparency. We detail strategies such as data encryption, zero-knowledge proofs, and permissioned blockchains, showcasing how patient information can remain confidential even within a distributed ledger system. We also recognize the challenges of scalability, regulation, and existing infrastructure integration, outlining potential solutions and future research directions. Ultimately, this paper argues that blockchain technology holds immense promise for revolutionizing healthcare data exchange. By enhancing security, promoting patient autonomy, and facilitating seamless data interoperability, blockchain paves the way for a future of personalized and efficient medical care. The road ahead requires addressing technical and regulatory hurdles, but the potential benefits for secure and patientcentric data management are undeniable. This paper serves as a roadmap for harnessing the power of blockchain to empower patients, safeguard their privacy, and ultimately transform healthcare for the better.