Blockchain in Health Care, Evolutionary or Revolutionary - An Evidence-Based Review

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Computer Science
• Information Technology

Background:

• Blockchain technology presents a decentralized, immutable ledger system.
• Healthcare faces critical challenges in data integrity, security, and interoperability.
• The integration of blockchain in healthcare is debated as evolutionary or revolutionary.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess current evidence on blockchain applications in healthcare.
• To evaluate whether blockchain integration is an evolutionary or revolutionary shift.
• To provide a comprehensive understanding of blockchain's impact on healthcare.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of existing literature on blockchain in healthcare.
• Analysis of blockchain implementation in electronic health records, supply chain management, clinical trials, telemedicine, and medical research.
• Identification and discussion of benefits and challenges associated with blockchain adoption.

Main Results:

• Blockchain enhances security and transparency in healthcare data management.
• Key application areas include electronic health records, supply chain integrity, clinical trial data, telemedicine, and medical research.
• Significant barriers to adoption include regulatory hurdles, scalability limitations, and interoperability issues.

Conclusions:

• Blockchain offers transformative potential for healthcare data management and operations.
• Widespread adoption requires addressing technical and regulatory challenges.
• Further research and strategic implementation are crucial for realizing blockchain's full impact in healthcare.