Enhancing Patient-Controlled Health Data Management through Blockchain Integration A Prototype Approach

The traditional approach to managing personal health information (PHI) often suffers from issues of centralization, limited patient control, and vulnerability to data breaches. With the rapid advancement of blockchain technology, a new paradigm for secure and decentralized health data management emerges, offering patients increased autonomy and privacy over their health records. This paper proposes the design and implementation of a blockchain-based prototype for public health record (PHR) management, emphasizing decentralized storage, encryption standards, and secure data sharing. Our prototype system utilizes asymmetric encryption (RSA) to protect sensitive health data while ensuring that only authorized individuals can access the records. The blockchain structure, comprising individual blocks representing unique patient visits, fosters an immutable record of patient-provider interactions. Despite promising features, several challenges, such as network scalability, encryption robustness, and regulatory compliance, must be addressed to fully realize the potential of blockchain for healthcare data management. This work offers a pathway toward more secure, transparent, and patient-centric health data system while highlighting the obstacles to broader industry adoption