ABSTRACT
The goal of this chapter is to present the key challenges for the implementation of blockchain technology (BT) to personal health records (PHRs) as identified in recent publications. Meta-analysis was used and ScienceDirect, EBSCOhost (including Health Source – Consumer Edition and MEDLINE), OECD iLibrary, Open Knowledge Repository, Scopus, and Web of Science databases have been researched. The keywords used in searching were blockchain, PHRs, digital patient records, data protection, security, and trust in various combinations. The chapter is structured as follows: first, the goal of the chapter is presented within the framework of the scheme created by the Strategic Intelligence of the World Economic Forum to show the impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution in which blockchain is an important component. On completion, the actual methodology is briefly described, followed by a literary review where the main findings are presented. The findings are grouped into three sections: technical developments, legal challenges, and social challenges. Based on these, the future of blockchain in PHRs is sketched and key success factors for the effective implementation of BT in PHR are identified. Conclusions will follow at the end of the chapter.
