UHF RFID and NFC Point-of-Care -- Architecture, Security, and Implementation

TL;DR

This paper presents a comprehensive architecture integrating UHF RFID and NFC for point-of-care healthcare, emphasizing security, data sharing via FHIR, and a novel web app with attribute-based encryption, demonstrated through a sweat monitoring prototype.

Contribution

It introduces a unified RFID/NFC PoC system architecture with secure data sharing and a pioneering web app utilizing attribute-based encryption for healthcare data security.

Findings

Successful preliminary testing of sweat monitoring system

Secure data sharing achieved via FHIR standard

Effective integration of RFID and NFC technologies

Abstract

Points-of-care (PoCs) augment healthcare systems by performing care whenever needed and are becoming increasingly crucial for the well-being of the worldwide population. Personalized medicine, chronic illness management, and cost reduction can be achieved thanks to the widespread adoption of PoCs. Significant incentives for PoCs deployment are nowadays given by wearable devices and, in particular, by RFID (RadioFrequency IDentification) and NFC (Near Field Communications), which are rising among the technological cornerstones of the healthcare internet of things (H-IoT). To fully exploit recent technological advancements, this paper proposes a system architecture for RFID- and NFC-based PoCs. The architecture comprises in a unitary framework both interfaces to benefit from their complementary features, and gathered data are shared with medical experts through secure and user-friendly interfaces that implement the Fast Health Interoperability Resource (FHIR) emerging healthcare standard. The selection of the optimal UHF and NFC components is discussed concerning the employable sensing techniques. The secure transmission of sensitive medical data is addressed by developing a user-friendly "PoC App" that is the first web app exploiting attribute-based encryption (ABE). An application example of the system for monitoring the pH and cortisol levels in sweat is implemented and preliminarily tested by a healthy volunteer.