Medi-Crypt: Patient Data Management System Using Blockchain

Abstract

In the era of digital healthcare, safeguarding patient data has become a challenge. MediCrypt leverages blockchain technology to revolutionize the management of medical records, offering a decentralized and tamper-proof system that prioritizes security, privacy, and accessibility. By integrating robust encryption mechanisms and smart contracts, MediCrypt ensures that patient information remains confidential while enabling authorized access for healthcare providers. Alongside secure patient data management, Medi-Crypt integrates insurance features, enabling personalized health coverage and efficient claims processing. Patients can manage their policies as secure digital tokens, simplifying claim validation and payment settlements via smart contracts. The system’s architecture promotes interoperability, allowing seamless data exchange across diverse platforms. Designed with scalability and user empowerment in mind, MediCrypt establishes a new benchmark for efficient and secure healthcare data management, transforming how sensitive medical information is handled and shared.

Introduction

Background
The digitization of healthcare improves patient care but creates challenges like data breaches, lack of transparency, insurance fraud, and poor interoperability. Traditional centralized systems are vulnerable and inefficient. Medi-Crypt solves these issues using blockchain and decentralized storage, offering secure, tamper-proof management of patient records and insurance data.

2. Key Features and Innovations

• Decentralized Architecture: Uses Ethereum blockchain and IPFS for secure and scalable data management.

• Smart Contracts: Automate insurance claims, access control, and settlements.

• Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Ensures only authorized parties (patients, doctors, insurers) can access specific data.

• Encryption (AES & RSA): Protects data confidentiality and secure sharing.

• Real-Time Communication: Web sockets support seamless updates between users and blockchain.

3. System Objectives

• Strengthen data security and privacy.

• Enhance interoperability between systems.

• Ensure data integrity via immutable records.

• Offer streamlined, user-friendly access to medical records.

4. Related Work
Past research confirms blockchain’s ability to:

• Enhance data security and patient autonomy (Madine et al.).

• Enable secure Health Information Exchange (Zhuang et al.).

• Address privacy and scalability in EHRs (Mamun et al.).

• Improve transparency in IoMT and healthcare supply chains (Ramzan et al.).

• Provide secure EHR storage via Ethereum + IPFS (Kumar et al.).

5. Proposed Architecture

• Client Interface: Web/mobile apps integrated with MetaMask for secure blockchain interactions.

• Blockchain Layer: Ethereum stores permissions and metadata; IPFS stores encrypted records.

• Smart Contracts: Handle permissions, insurance verification, and payments.

• Use Case & Sequence Diagrams: Show patient-doctor-insurer interactions governed by RBAC.

• Data Flow Diagram: Illustrates how data is encrypted, stored, accessed, and validated securely.

6. Security and Privacy

• AES & RSA Encryption: Secures data and key exchanges.

• RBAC with Smart Contracts: Enforces access rules.

• Immutable Audit Logs: Blockchain ensures transparent record-keeping.

• Emergency Access: Doctors can request temporary access, with all actions logged.

7. Implementation Tools

• Ganache-Ethereum: Local test blockchain for deploying smart contracts.

• MetaMask: Enables secure Web3 authentication for patients, doctors, and insurers.

8. Benefits

• Decentralization: Eliminates single points of failure.

• Automation: Reduces manual errors via smart contracts.

• User Empowerment: Patients control their health data.

• Interoperability: Promotes seamless data sharing across stakeholders.

• Transparency & Trust: Immutable records foster accountability.

Conclusion

The MediCrypt project provides a secure and efficient solution for patient data management using blockchain technology. Its decentralized and immutable nature ensures medical data is secure, tamper-proof, and accessible only to authorized individuals. Patients maintain control over their records by granting or revoking access to doctors as needed, ensuring transparency while safeguarding privacy. Key features include patients\' ability to add or remove doctors from their access list and doctors securely uploading diagnosis reports upon access. The system also streamlines administrative processes like insurance claims and payment settlements, improving efficiency and collaboration between patients and healthcare providers. By enhancing data security, patient control, and interoperability, MediCrypt empowers patients and simplifies healthcare workflows. Its scalable design ensures efficient medical record management, setting a strong foundation for a more secure and patient-centred digital healthcare system.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Dr. S Mercy, Lavanya Y M, Shreya Ganesh Hegde, Bhanushree N N, Harshith R. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.