A Framework for Securing Health Information Using Blockchain in Cloud Hosted Cyber Physical Systems

TL;DR

This paper proposes a blockchain-based decentralized system for securing electronic health records in cloud-hosted cyber physical systems, enhancing security, access control, and privacy using smart contracts and cryptocurrency.

Contribution

It introduces a novel blockchain framework with smart contracts and cryptocurrency integration for secure, decentralized EHR management in cloud-based healthcare systems.

Findings

Implemented using Ethereum, Ganache, and Solidity smart contracts.

Demonstrated secure access control and privacy protection for EHRs.

Validated system effectiveness through experimental simulations.

Abstract

Electronic Health Records (EHRs) have undergone numerous technical improvements in recent years, including the incorporation of mobile devices with the cloud computing technologies to facilitate medical data exchanges between patients and the healthcare professionals. This cutting-edge architecture enables cyber physical systems housed in the cloud to provide healthcare services with minimal operational costs, high flexibility, security, and EHR accessibility. If patient health information is stored in the hospital database, there will always be a risk of intrusion, i.e., unauthorized file access and information modification by attackers. To address this concern, we propose a decentralized EHR system based on Blockchain technology. To facilitate secure EHR exchange across various patients and medical providers, we develop a reliable access control method based on smart contracts. We incorporate Cryptocurrency, specifically Ethereum, in the suggested system to protect sensitive health information from potential attackers. In our suggested approach, both physicians and patients are required to be authenticated. Patients can register, and a block with a unique hash value will be generated. Once the patient discusses the disease with the physician, the physician can check the patient's condition and offer drugs. For experimental findings, we employ the public Block chain Ganache and solidity remix-based smart contracts to protect privacy. Ethers are used as the crypto currencies.