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Top1. Introduction
In a peer-to-peer network, blockchain provides a safe and advanced network for executing and exchanging information between multiple nodes. According to Gartner, blockchain is one of the top ten most important innovation trends for 2018 (Shukla, R. G., Agarwal, A., & Shukla, S, 2020). It is stated in (Abdellatif, A. A.,et al, 2020) that using a public blockchain can reduce the need for trustworthy nodes for exchanging information. The ongoing transaction will be validated by that node alone if a trustworthy node is deployed. When data is exchanged in a blockchain network, three primary components are present: Blocks, Nodes, and Miners. Miners create new blocks in the network, which is referred to as mining (Khan, F. A., et al., 2020). The preceding block's hash value must be remembered and referenced when generating the new block. Along with creating new blocks, miners also contribute to the solution of the NONCE in order to become the authority for certifying a transaction (Tanwar, S., Parekh, K., & Evans, R. 2020). When a block is successfully mined, all nodes in the network agree on a value, and the miner is rewarded financially. In blockchain technology, the node is the most critical element which has to main the DLT installed in the network for sharing the information (Zhang, P., et al, 2017). The nodes have a copy of the blockchain, and any mining that takes place within the network must be approved by the network as a whole. Blockchain transparency allows the patients to view and examine the corresponding EHRs stored in the network (Zhang, P.,et al, 2018).
With the advent of blockchain technology in terms of bitcoin by Satoshi Nakamoto, it is being developed rapidly and brings attention from various researchers in academia and industry (Blum, F.,et al, 2020;W. Cai, Z. Wang et al, 2018). Blockchain technology is a decentralized system that is deployed in a peer-to-peer network to store transactional information, also known as blocks, in a public database called a distributed ledger that is accessible to any active network participant (McGhin, T.,et al, 2019). Due to the features such as decentralization, immutability, security, and transparency the blockchain technology is becoming the most promising and prominent technology advent for internet-based communication (Ratta, P.,et al, 2021).
Secure and scalable data sharing is essential for the healthcare decision-making system. Traditional clinical data initiatives, on the other hand, are typically fragmented, impeding effective information flow thus preventing the patient from making sensible treatment decisions (Siyal, A. A., et al, 2019). Blockchain technology plays a vital role in providing a secure platform for storing and sharing medical records among the patient and the doctor. Implementing DApp has its own benefits and challenges with respect to blockchain technology (Al Omar, A.,et al, 2019). The benefits and challenges of the healthcare system based on DApp are addressed in Table 1 and 2 respectively.
Table 1.
Advantages of blockchain technology in the healthcare system
| Functionality | Benefit in healthcare |
| Network Structure | The peer network structure provides a secure infrastructure |
| Cryptography Mechanism | Enables the system to prevent the unauthorized access |
| Distributed Ledger | Secure access control |
| Decentralization | Avoids the limitation of single point failure |
| NONCE | Acts as the authorization process in choosing the validator of a transaction |
| Smart Contracts | Helps in increasing transparency and transaction execution by automating the process. |
| WoT | Dependable election mechanism for choosing a validator for one transaction. |
| Permissioned Transaction | Since any sort of data alteration requires authorization from all parties, the degree of interference with stored data is decreased. |