Application of Blockchain Technology for Data Privacy and Secured Sharing in Electronic Medical Records: A Systematic Literature Review

Previous literature reviews in this domain focus on the role of blockchain in healthcare but this study not only reveals the transformative potential of blockchain in healthcare, it also underscores the multi-faceted challenges that must be addressed in specific aspects such as privacy issues in EMRs, and existing solutions for secure data sharing. Our systematic review protocol covered 711 articles published from January 2018 to date, given the rapid developments in both blockchain technology and healthcare in recent years. We screened the titles, abstracts and methodologies of 207 identified articles based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Then, 23 articles that met the further assessment of independent reviewers for eligibility are eventually synthesized. Our critical analysis of existing studies highlights blockchain's decentralized nature as a promising solution for enhancing EMR data privacy and transforming secure data sharing. Our key findings in this study reveal challenges like scalability, regulatory considerations, and ethical implications that need addressing for successful integration. The implications for healthcare include improved security, interoperability, and patient empowerment. We recommend that future developments should prioritize practical implementations, usability research, ethical considerations, scalability solutions, and regulatory frameworks.