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Towards the Use of Blockchain in Mobile Health Services and Applications

  • Mobile & Wireless Health
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Abstract

With the advent of cryptocurrencies and blockchain, the growth and adaptation of cryptographic features and capabilities were quickly extended to new and underexplored areas, such as healthcare. Currently, blockchain is being implemented mainly as a mechanism to secure Electronic Health Records (EHRs). However, new studies have shown that this technology can be a powerful tool in empowering patients to control their own health data, as well for enabling a fool-proof health data history and establishing medical responsibility. Additionally, with the proliferation of mobile health (m-Health) sustained on service-oriented architectures, the adaptation of blockchain mechanisms into m-Health applications creates the possibility for a more decentralized and available healthcare service. Hence, this paper presents a review of the current security best practices for m-Health and the most used and widely known implementations of the blockchain protocol, including blockchain technologies in m-Health. The main goal of this comprehensive review is to further discuss and elaborate on identified open-issues and potential use cases regarding the uses of blockchain in this area. Finally, the paper presents the major findings, challenges and advantages on future blockchain implementations for m-Health services and applications.

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Acknowledgments

This work is funded by FCT/MCTES through national funds and when applicable co-funded EU funds under the project UIDB/EEA/50008/2020.

Funding

This work is funded by FCT/MCTES through national funds and when applicable co-funded EU funds under the project UIDB/EEA/50008/2020.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Telecomunicações, Universidade da Beira Interior, Rua Marquês d’Ávila e Bolama, 6201-001, Covilhã, Portugal

    João Amaral Santos, Pedro R. M. Inácio & Bruno M. C. Silva

  2. Universidade Europeia, IADE, Av. D. Carlos I, 4, 1200-649, Lisbon, Portugal

    Bruno M. C. Silva

Authors
  1. João Amaral Santos
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  2. Pedro R. M. Inácio
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  3. Bruno M. C. Silva
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Correspondence to Bruno M. C. Silva.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Mobile & Wireless Health

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Santos, J.A., Inácio, P.R.M. & Silva, B.M.C. Towards the Use of Blockchain in Mobile Health Services and Applications. J Med Syst 45, 17 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10916-020-01680-w

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