Hyperledger fabric blockchain-based medical document and prescription sharing system: Enhancing data security and traceability of the healthcare sector in Bangladesh

Abstract

In the current digital age, Blockchain technology has the potential to revolution ize the way sensitive medical information is handled. Blockchain’s immutable and encrypted nature makes it an ideal solution for preventing fraud and ensuring the security of essential data. This study aims to utilize an Hyperledger Fabric-based blockchain network for the authentication of individual medical prescriptions, while maintaining a ledger for each patient to reduce drug abuse and promote transparency and traceability. In Bangladesh, the analog nature of medical prescriptions makes it difficult to verify their authenticity, leading to a high rate of counterfeit prescrip tions and drug abuse. Our proposed solution utilizes a distributed ledger where records of transactions and data can be remotely stored, providing an open and tamper-proof system. In each transaction, the date and time are embedded with the digital signature of the issuer, creating a clear timeline of the transaction and greatly reducing the possibility of fraud. The current system of using hard copies for medical prescriptions is not only inconvenient for storage and sharing of infor mation but also time-consuming. Our proposed blockchain network can be used to store transaction and documentation data and easily share it with other nodes in the network, eliminating the need for paper exchange. This improves the efficiency of transactions and reduces the need for reconciling different ledgers. Our goal is to assist in the creation of a secure and authentic system for issuing and storing medical prescriptions in Bangladesh, to eliminate drug abuse. This research aims to explore the use of the Hyperledger blockchain system to make patient data more secure, while also enabling private sharing of information within the network. The Hyperledger framework, being a permissioned blockchain system, is well-suited for use cases that require privacy and security. The study will also examine the tech nical feasibility of building such a system. The outcome of this study will provide valuable insights into the potential of Hyperledger-based systems in the healthcare sector and aid in the design and implementation of similar systems in the future.