Ahmed Mohamed Tawfik Ali
Lecturer
Blockchain-based access control and privacy preservation in healthcare: a comprehensive survey
Cluster Computing • 2026
Publication Information
Authors
Ahmed M. Tawfik, Ayman Al-Ahwal, Adly S. Tag Eldien & Hala H. Zayed
Keywords
Blockchain
Security
Privacy
Electronic health records
Access control methods
Journal
Cluster Computing
Publisher
SPRINGER
Volume
Not Available
Issue
Not Available
Pages
Not Available
publication.type
International
Paper Link
Open Link
Supplementary Materials
Not Available
Abstract
In recent years, blockchain technology has emerged as a promising solution for securing electronic health records (EHRs) while preserving patient privacy. Traditional e-health systems facilitate EHR sharing among healthcare providers but also introduce significant privacy risks, such as unauthorized access and data breaches. Blockchain, when integrated with privacy-preserving techniques, enhances transparency, integrity, and availability in EHR management. Smart contracts further strengthen security by enabling automated authentication and access control. This paper provides a comprehensive survey of blockchain-based access control frameworks in healthcare, categorizing them into permissioned and permissionless approaches. It also explores cryptographic privacy-preserving techniques designed to mitigate privacy risks. Additionally, blockchain platforms and consensus protocols commonly used in these frameworks are analyzed. The methodology follows a structured paper selection process, leading to the final inclusion of 45 research papers focusing on blockchain-based privacy preservation and access control in healthcare. Furthermore, it presents real-world case studies that illustrate the practical implementation of blockchain-based access control in healthcare settings, highlighting their strengths and challenges. Finally, it identifies privacy-related challenges, open research issues, and future directions to guide further research in this evolving domain.
