Applications of blockchain in the medical field: A narrative review.

BACKGROUND: As a distributed technology, blockchain has attracted increasing attention from stakeholders in the medical industry. Although previous studies have analysed blockchain applications from the perspectives of technology, business or patient care, few studies have focused on actual use-case scenarios of blockchain in healthcare. In particular, the outbreak of COVID-19 has led to some new ideas for the application of blockchain in medical practice. OBJECTIVE: This paper aims to provide a systematic review of the current and projected uses of blockchain technology in healthcare, as well as directions for future research. In addition to the framework structure of blockchain and application scenarios, its integration with other emerging technologies in healthcare is discussed. METHODS: We searched databases such as PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, IEEE and Springer using a combination of terms related to blockchain and healthcare. Potentially relevant papers were then compared to determine their relevance and reviewed independently for inclusion. Through a literature review, we summarized the key medical scenarios using blockchain technology. RESULTS: We found 1,647 relevant studies, of which 60 unique studies were included in this review. These studies report a variety of uses for blockchain, and their emphasis differs. According to the different technical characteristics and application scenarios of blockchain, we summarize some medical scenarios closely related to blockchain from the perspective of technical classification. Moreover, potential challenges are mentioned, including the confidentiality of privacy, the efficiency of the system, security issues and regulatory policy. CONCLUSIONS: Blockchain technology can improve healthcare services in a decentralized, tamper-proof, transparent and secure manner. With the development of this technology and its integration with other emerging technologies, blockchain has the potential to offer long-term health benefits. Not only can it be a mechanism to secure electronic health records (EHRs), but it provides a powerful tool that can empower users to control their own health data, enabling a fool-proof health data history and establishing medical responsibility.