Securing patient data and access control in electronic health records with Ethereum blockchain

Abstract

Blockchain technology has become an essential tool for enhancing reliability and security across several industries, including the healthcare sector. In this work, we propose and implement an Ethereum-based blockchain framework to decentralize electronic health records (EHRs) at Tumakuru Siddaganga Hospital. The system establishes an append-only chain of transaction blocks that guarantees the confidentiality, auditability, and integrity of patient health records. By design, only authorized healthcare professionals can access patient data, and even then, only with the patient’s explicit consent—ensuring a privacy-preserving access model. Our approach demonstrated a 40% reduction in data access delays and eliminated unauthorized access attempts through smart contract-based access control. The decentralized nature of the framework reduces reliance on centralized databases, significantly lowering the risk of data tampering and breaches. Additionally, the implemented consensus protocol ensures that only verified transactions are recorded, maintaining consistency across distributed nodes. Compared to traditional systems, our blockchain-based solution improved the traceability of health data access events by 100%, ensuring transparency and accountability. These findings validate that blockchain technology can substantially enhance data sharing, integrity, and patient control in modern healthcare systems.