TITLE:
Blockchain Implications in the Management of Patient Complaints in Healthcare
AUTHORS:
Yazan M. Alkhateeb
KEYWORDS:
Blockchain, Unsolicited Patient Complaints, Health Care, Transparency
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Information Security,
Vol.12 No.3,
June
7,
2021
ABSTRACT: Blockchain is an emerging technology that has recently been the focus for many researchers who have highlighted its
diverse applications including healthcare. Transparency in managing
unsolicited patient complaints is important in healthcare for both patients and
healthcare providers; in addition, patient complaints analysis is significant
to the continued quality improvement. Accordingly, the purpose of this study is
to understand the nature of patient complaints management in the healthcare
settings, explore the implications of blockchain on the management of patient
complaints, and identify limitations in the usage of blockchain. Structured
qualitative review and content analysis of the literature methods were used
through multiple inclusion and exclusion phases for the scope of this research.
Blockchain technology characteristics have been analyzed and approximated with
desired features in the patients’ complaint management. Patient complaints
provide valuable information to drive continuous improvements in healthcare. Blockchain is described as transparent, decentralized, immutable and anonymous.
Results of this research found that a complaint Management system that is built
on blockchain technology might have desired features that involve data
integrity, security and transparency. Blockchain does have certain limitations
that involve cybersecurity, scalability, confidentiality, readiness to adopt
it, and is uncertainty about its impact. As a conclusion, implementing a system to manage patient complaints that is based
on blockchain technology is promising, due to its desired possible features.