A systematic literature review on distributed ledger technologies in healthcare: Applications, challenges, and future directions

IF 4.3 2区计算机科学 Q2 COMPUTER SCIENCE, INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Information and Software Technology Pub Date : 2025-09-08 DOI:10.1016/j.infsof.2025.107894

Fatemeh Esmaeilnezhadtanha , Luca Spalazzi , Luca Del Bene , Yves Wautelet

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Context

Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLTs), including blockchain, are increasingly used as tools enabling the transformation and improvement of healthcare management. There is a strong need to study how these technologies have been impacting healthcare recently through a review of the scientific literature on the subject.

Objective

This study explores how, as reported in the literature, DLTs can enhance healthcare data and process management with or without complementary technologies like AI, IoT, and cloud computing.

Method

Through a systematic literature review, the paper analyzes the contributions of DLTs to healthcare and proposes a reference conceptual model for their adoption, with a focus on affordability and systemic enhancements.

Results

The study highlights challenges such as scalability, privacy, and regulatory compliance; it also shows innovative opportunities such as real-time monitoring and secure data exchange. Literature identifies that the integration of DLTs with other emerging technologies is transforming healthcare practices. More work should be done at the level of Layer 2 solutions to improve scalability while preserving security and decentralization.

Conclusion

To fully unlock DLT’s potential and overcome current challenges, collaboration among healthcare stakeholders and policymakers will be essential. The reference model offers a strategic framework for healthcare providers, outlining key directions for future research and development to enhance healthcare services and operational effectiveness.

查看原文本刊更多论文

分布式账本技术在医疗保健领域的系统文献综述：应用、挑战和未来方向

包括区块链在内的分布式账本技术（dlt）越来越多地被用作实现医疗保健管理转型和改进的工具。通过对有关该主题的科学文献的回顾，强烈需要研究这些技术最近如何影响医疗保健。本研究探讨了文献中报道的dlt如何在有无人工智能、物联网和云计算等补充技术的情况下增强医疗保健数据和流程管理。方法通过系统的文献综述，分析了dlt对医疗保健的贡献，并提出了一个可采用的参考概念模型，重点关注可负担性和系统性增强。该研究强调了可扩展性、隐私和法规遵从性等挑战；它还展示了实时监控和安全数据交换等创新机会。文献表明，dlt与其他新兴技术的整合正在改变医疗保健实践。应该在第2层解决方案级别做更多的工作，以提高可伸缩性，同时保持安全性和去中心化。为了充分释放DLT的潜力并克服当前的挑战，医疗保健利益相关者和政策制定者之间的合作至关重要。参考模型为医疗保健提供者提供了一个战略框架，概述了未来研究和开发的关键方向，以提高医疗保健服务和运营效率。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Information and Software Technology 工程技术-计算机：软件工程

CiteScore

9.10

自引率

7.70%

发文量

164

审稿时长

9.6 weeks

期刊介绍： Information and Software Technology is the international archival journal focusing on research and experience that contributes to the improvement of software development practices. The journal''s scope includes methods and techniques to better engineer software and manage its development. Articles submitted for review should have a clear component of software engineering or address ways to improve the engineering and management of software development. Areas covered by the journal include: • Software management, quality and metrics, • Software processes, • Software architecture, modelling, specification, design and programming • Functional and non-functional software requirements • Software testing and verification & validation • Empirical studies of all aspects of engineering and managing software development Short Communications is a new section dedicated to short papers addressing new ideas, controversial opinions, "Negative" results and much more. Read the Guide for authors for more information. The journal encourages and welcomes submissions of systematic literature studies (reviews and maps) within the scope of the journal. Information and Software Technology is the premiere outlet for systematic literature studies in software engineering.