TY - JOUR
T1 - How to use blockchain for diabetes health care data and access management
T2 - An operational concept
AU - Cichosz, Simon Lebech
AU - Stausholm, Mads Nibe
AU - Kronborg, Thomas
AU - Vestergaard, Peter
AU - Hejlesen, Ole
PY - 2019/3/1
Y1 - 2019/3/1
N2 - Introduction: Patients with diabetes often generate large amounts of data specifically related to the disease and to their general health. Cross-institutional sharing of patient health care data is complex, and as a consequence, data are not always available to the health care provider treating the patient. Accommodating this challenge could lead to better clinical effectiveness and improve clinical research. This work aims to present an approach for a blockchain-based platform for sharing health care data. The approach considers privacy concerns, data sharing, and patients as the center for governing their own data. Methods: The concept of this blockchain-based platform consists of using the NEM multi-signature blockchain contracts for access control of data management and the sharing and encryption of data to allow privacy and control of health care data. The architecture is built around cryptography, tokens, and multi-signature contracts. The multi-signature contract enables several entities to administrate the activity of an account and control the assets of one account. Multi-signature generates a contract that assigns the rights and powers of a certain account to other accounts; this contract can be edited to allow or remove entities. Discussion: Using blockchain could lead to improvements in diabetes data management. In the coming years, this technology should be implemented in existing small-scale diabetes health care system to explore its real-world benefits and challenges. Conclusion: This new approach could potentially lead to more efficient sharing of data between institutions and utilization of new types of data and research possibilities.
AB - Introduction: Patients with diabetes often generate large amounts of data specifically related to the disease and to their general health. Cross-institutional sharing of patient health care data is complex, and as a consequence, data are not always available to the health care provider treating the patient. Accommodating this challenge could lead to better clinical effectiveness and improve clinical research. This work aims to present an approach for a blockchain-based platform for sharing health care data. The approach considers privacy concerns, data sharing, and patients as the center for governing their own data. Methods: The concept of this blockchain-based platform consists of using the NEM multi-signature blockchain contracts for access control of data management and the sharing and encryption of data to allow privacy and control of health care data. The architecture is built around cryptography, tokens, and multi-signature contracts. The multi-signature contract enables several entities to administrate the activity of an account and control the assets of one account. Multi-signature generates a contract that assigns the rights and powers of a certain account to other accounts; this contract can be edited to allow or remove entities. Discussion: Using blockchain could lead to improvements in diabetes data management. In the coming years, this technology should be implemented in existing small-scale diabetes health care system to explore its real-world benefits and challenges. Conclusion: This new approach could potentially lead to more efficient sharing of data between institutions and utilization of new types of data and research possibilities.
KW - access management
KW - blockchain
KW - diabetes
KW - health care
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85052309395&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/1932296818790281
DO - 10.1177/1932296818790281
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 30047789
SN - 1932-2968
VL - 13
SP - 248
EP - 253
JO - Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology
JF - Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology
IS - 2
ER -