Healthcare Blockchain System Using Smart Contracts for Secure Automated Remote Patient Monitoring

TLDR: This work created a system where sensors communicate with a smart device that calls smart contracts and writes records of all events on the blockchain, which would support real-time patient monitoring and medical interventions and automate the delivery of notifications to all involved parties in a HIPAA compliant manner.

Abstract: As Internet of Things (IoT) devices and other remote patient monitoring systems increase in popularity, security concerns about the transfer and logging of data transactions arise. In order to handle the protected health information (PHI) generated by these devices, we propose utilizing blockchain-based smart contracts to facilitate secure analysis and management of medical sensors. Using a private blockchain based on the Ethereum protocol, we created a system where the sensors communicate with a smart device that calls smart contracts and writes records of all events on the blockchain. This smart contract system would support real-time patient monitoring and medical interventions by sending notifications to patients and medical professionals, while also maintaining a secure record of who has initiated these activities. This would resolve many security vulnerabilities associated with remote patient monitoring and automate the delivery of notifications to all involved parties in a HIPAA compliant manner.