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Artificial Intelligence in Health Blockchain for health-care security
Figure 6. Health-care management using blockchain. Source: Schematic made by the authors.
8.2. Blockchain platforms used in health-care 8.2.3. Med-rec
domain
Med-Rec, built from a collaborative project between MIT
Gem Health Network, Guard-time, Med-Rec, and Health- Media Lab and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, is a
bank are some of the blockchain platforms developed for blockchain-based platform deals particularly with EHRs.
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use in health-care domain. These platforms enable secure The non-seamless design of EHRs in managing multi-
sharing of medical information with different health-care institutional and lifelong records is the prime reason for
providers. data loss as patients’ data may become scattered as they
move from one organization to another. Med-Rec can
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8.2.1. Gem health network
provide its users with all of their records, which are credible,
Gem Health Network is a blockchain platform developed easily accessible, and most importantly, immutable. It also
based on the Ethereum Blockchain Framework that can allows management permissions, authorization, and data
allow the sharing of medical data supplied by health- sharing among health-care providers and systems using a
care specialists. Gem Health Network merges businesses, decentralized approach.
specialists, and patients to enhance patient-centered
care. This network allows medical stakeholders to have Blockchain in the Med-Rec platform grants patients the
transparent access to any latest information. On this power to authorize individuals who can access their health
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platform, outdated information can be removed, thereby records. This project is tested as a proof of concept with
reducing the risk of medical negligence starting from the medication data. Med-Rec was further enhanced in terms
early stage of treatment. Medical experts can also track all of data types as well as number of data contributors and
the interactions between patients and their doctors. users. 47
8.2.2. Guard-time 8.2.4. Health-bank
Guard-time, a blockchain-powered data security platform Blockchain can also be applied in the area of patient-
based in the Netherlands, is used in Estonia to operate generated data. Built by a Switzerland-based digital
public health infrastructure, especially in patient identity health startup, Health-bank stands as a great example
validation. Estonian citizens are given smartcard that link of this application. Users can store and manage their
their EHR data with their corresponding blockchain- personal health-care information secured on the
based profiles. Citizens of Estonia, health-care providers, Health-bank platform. All the users have full control
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and insurance companies can acquire information about over their own data. User data in Health-bank are
medical treatments done in Estonia through Guard-time. also made available for medical research. In addition,
Updates made to the EHR are assigned with a hash and users will be financially compensated for share their
registered in the blockchain network. Thus, patients’ data. Blockchain implemented in health-bank allows for
records are immutable and are protected from malicious tracking personal patient-generated health data, which
modifications. Along with that, health-care database researchers can use, by means of timestamp. Users
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information, such as time and date of appointments, are who have contributed to medical research can also be
also signed cryptographically in a block. identified using blockchain.
Volume 1 Issue 2 (2024) 40 doi: 10.36922/aih.2580

