Block Heal: A Patient-Governed Blockchain Framework for Secure Clinical Data Exchange

Abstract

The ongoing digital evolution in the healthcare sector has increased the demand for reliable and secure systems to manage medical records. Conventional centralized storage methods are vulnerable to security threats such as data breaches, unauthorized usage, and potential data alteration, which can compromise patient confidentiality and data integrity. To overcome these challenges, this work presents a blockchain-enabled medical record management system designed to provide secure and tamper-resistant data storage. The proposed system is implemented as a decentralized web application, utilizing React.js for the user interface and Web3.js or Ethers.js to enable interaction with the blockchain network. Smart contracts written in Solidity are deployed on the Ethereum platform to handle record management and enforce strict access permissions. User authentication is facilitated through MetaMask, ensuring a secure and decentralized method of identity verification. Healthcare information, including patient records, diagnoses, prescriptions, and treatment details, is maintained on the blockchain to guarantee transparency and immutability. The system empowers patients by allowing them to control access to their data, including granting and revoking permissions for healthcare providers. Tools such as Truffle and Ganache are used during development for efficient testing and deployment. In summary, the proposed solution improves data security, privacy, and accessibility, offering a dependable and scalable approach for managing healthcare records in modern digital environments.