WiraChain: A Blockchain and FHIR-Based Platform for Improving Clinical Data Interoperability
WiraChain: A Blockchain and FHIR-Based Platform for Improving Clinical Data ... - Frontiers
Summary
This study developed 'Wirachain,' a decentralized application integrating HL7 FHIR standard with blockchain technology, aiming to solve clinical data interoperability challenges. It demonstrated that secure and continuous clinical data exchange is possible while allowing patients to manage access permissions.
Details
The research addresses the critical issue of fragmented patient records and duplicated procedures caused by poor interoperability in electronic health records (EHRs). To tackle this, the authors developed Wirachain, a decentralized application. This system integrates HL7 FHIR for scalable data exchange with blockchain technology to ensure traceability and robust access control. Key features include patient-controlled permission granting/revocation, role-based access control, and persistent storage using both FHIR-compliant and traditional databases. Validation using synthetic clinical data demonstrated that the platform maintains efficient operation and secure data handling even under increased load conditions and simulated clinical workflows. The findings confirm that combining blockchain's immutability with FHIR's structured API approach effectively bridges the gap between theoretical interoperability standards and practical, patient-centered healthcare applications.
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