JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Blockchain technology is leveraging its innovative potentials in various sections and the transformation of how business-related processes has drawn wide attention. Topics of research interest have been focused on medical and healthcare applications while research implications are generally concluded in system design, literature review and case studies. However, a general overview and impact on healthcare ecosystem is limited.

Objective:

This paper explores potential paradigm shift and ecosystem evolution in healthcare utilizing blockchain technology.

Methods:

A literature review with case study on pioneering initiative were conducted. With a systematic lifecycle analysis, this study shed light on evolutional development of blockchain in healthcare scenarios and interactive relationship among stakeholders.

Results:

Four stages, birth, expansion, leadership, and self-renewal or death, in the life cycle of the ecosystem were explored to elucidate evolving trajectories on blockchain-based healthcare implementation. Focused impacts on traditional healthcare industry are highlighted in each stages to further conclude potential healthcare paradigm shift in the future.

Conclusions:

This paper contributes to the understanding of blockchain innovation in healthcare ecosystem. The collaborative network linked by blockchain may play critical roles on value creation, transfer, and sharing among healthcare community. Future efforts may focus on empirical or case studies to validate proposed evolution of healthcare ecosystem.