Blockchain Survey for Security and Privacy in the e-Health Ecosystem

This survey paper focuses on the use of blockchain technology to ensure security and privacy properties in e-health applications. For that, background information on blockchain technology was conducted, followed by a classification of e-health applications based on data life-cycle components related to security and privacy concerns. Then, we discuss the security and privacy requirements of an e-health system and how blockchain can address these requirements, accompanied by a detailed examination of the data security and privacy solutions offered by five blockchain platforms. Lastly, we provide some guidelines and recommendations for using blockchain to secure e-health applications and preserve patient privacy. This work provides technical and intuitive insights into concepts, requirements, development, and deployment technologies for healthcare professionals and system designers interested in adopting blockchain to maintain the security and privacy of healthcare systems.