Page 223 - Big Data Analytics for Intelligent Healthcare Management

216 CHAPTER 8 BLOCKCHAIN IN HEALTHCARE: CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS

Table 8.4 Capability of Blockchain With Respect to Challenge Offered From Healthcare
Big Data
Factors Healthcare Big Data Challenge Blockchain Solution
Data Data are producing in a fragmented decentral Computer networks and the connected
fragmentation way. Patients, doctors, clinic, therapists, decentralized system can create a network
analytics are producing data separately. among all groups (blockchain nodes).
Concurrent and Manual collaboration, privacy policy, and Distributed blockchain can secure concurrent
timely access negotiation hamper timely access and analysis on the same set of data without any
concurrent analysis. risk of data manipulation (blockchain are
immutable).
System Trust issue (data and person) generates unrest Blockchain verify participating nodes and
scalability in collaboration among parties. associated data, which eliminates all risk
(node and data authentication through
consensus algorithm).
Sensor (IoT) Thousands of IoT devices are in use to collect Blockchain can secure IoT device by device
data handling and distribute data, which are difficult to track communication and data by creating a private
and handle. blockchain network among themselves.
Data and Data handlers should not be open and there Blockchain can use its three types (private,
access must be some regulations for distribution. public, and consortium) of user scope to
consistency define owner’s selected data processors and
regulators.
Data Currently, several third parties along with all Blockchain middlemen less concurrent
processing cost individuals do an analysis of data, which architecture can reduce the operation cost of
increases costs. data analysis and distribution.
Data owner’s Currently, owner’s identities are open and Blockchain technology offers a secret way of
privacy processors are hidden. data handling where data processing identities
are open to all. Blockchain can even secure
data flow and permissions (smart contract).
Business to Currently, middlemen and third parties Blockchain can remove every third party to
business manipulate and distribute data to make a create a territory-less open boundary for data
communication profit. distribution in a secure way.

8.4.8 FIGHTING COUNTERFEIT DRUGS
Fake and low-quality drugs are everywhere. Blockchain technology can help to maintain medicine
standards by tracking from production to end user feedback. According to a report by the Guardian
[73] published by the World Health Organization, “One in ten medical products circulating in
low- and middle-income countries is either substandard or falsified.” Drug production and distribution
supply chains can be tracked by blockchain technology. WHO is spending 30 billion USD in the fight
against counterfeit medicine.

8.4.9 COLLABORATIVE PATIENT ENGAGEMENT
The patient can form a common community or group for taking care of one another. Blockchain
technology can maintain the overall monitoring system. Patients also feel uneasy dealing with some
disease with associated information. All the information and doctors’ decision can be tackled with