Enhancing Personal Health Record Security Through Blockchain-Based Authentication

Abstract: Authentication plays a crucial role in ensuring the security and privacy of sensitive information in various domains, including healthcare. In traditional Personal Health Record (PHR) systems, patients often lack control over their health records as these systems are managed by a central authority. This centralization renders PHRs susceptible to data breaches, unauthorized access, tampering, and misuse. Blockchain technology, due to its decentralized and immutable characteristics, presents a viable way to improve the security and privacy of PHR systems. This paper explores the application of blockchain to develop a decentralized PHR web application. The proof of concept demonstrates how blockchain and smart contracts can be utilized to manage data access and permissions, empowering patients with control over their health records while ensuring security and transparency. Moreover, a comprehensive study was conducted to evaluate the system's performance, including the effectiveness of smart contracts for secure access control, the transaction flow in the blockchain network, and the robustness of the authentication mechanisms. The results highlight the feasibility and advantages of a blockchain-based approach in addressing critical challenges of traditional PHR systems.