Blockchain‐Enabled Smart Healthcare Applications in 6G Networks
Amit Kumar Tyagi, Shrikant Tiwari · 2024
The convergence of blockchain technology and 6G networks holds immense promise for revolutionizing the landscape of healthcare applications. This chapter discusses the synergies between blockchain and 6G, aiming to enhance the efficiency, security, and interoperability of smart healthcare systems. The proposed framework uses the decentralized nature of blockchain to address important challenges in healthcare data management, ensuring trust, transparency, and integrity in the exchange of sensitive medical information. In this paradigm, smart healthcare applications integrated with blockchain technology facilitate seamless sharing and access to patient data across a distributed network. The 6G infrastructure provides the necessary bandwidth, ultra-low latency, and device connectivity to support real-time monitoring, diagnostics, and personalized healthcare services. Decentralized consensus mechanisms inherent in blockchain enhance data privacy and security, empowering individuals with greater control over their health records. Furthermore, this work discusses the potential use cases of blockchain in 6G-enabled smart healthcare applications, such as secure medical records management, transparent supply chain tracking for pharmaceuticals, and incentivized health data sharing. The integration of smart contracts in blockchain facilitates automated execution of healthcare agreements, streamlining processes and reducing administrative overhead. As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, this futuristic approach to blockchain-enabled smart healthcare in 6G networks envisions a paradigm shift towards patient-centric, interoperable, and secure healthcare ecosystems. The exploration of challenges and opportunities in this domain make the way for researchers, industry, etc., to collaboratively shape the future of healthcare technology.