August 29, 2023

Leveraging Blockchain for Smarter Healthcare

The healthcare industry is poised for disruption by blockchain technology. Combining blockchain’s secure data storage with IoT wearable devices creates immense potential to improve patient outcomes. Continuous health data from wearables could be recorded immutably on a blockchain ledger and analyzed by AI algorithms to enable real-time interventions. “Digital doctors” running smart contracts could monitor patients 24/7 and take instant actions without human input when needed. Machine learning applied to massive datasets aggregated on a blockchain could also refine diagnostic and treatment decision-making. While technical and regulatory obstacles remain, blockchain-enabled “smart healthcare” promises more responsive, effective, and proactive medicine.

Citation: Heston, T.F., 2018. Introductory Chapter: Making Health Care Smart. In: Heston, T.F. (ed.) eHealth – Making Health Care Smarter. London: InTechOpen, pp.1-7. http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.78993