Blockchain Patient Data Validation via Biometric Hashing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing mechanisms for managing and securing patient medical records are inadequate, leading to unauthorized access and breaches, with HIPAA regulations not fully addressing the complexities of data privacy and security, especially in cases of intentional and accidental leaks.
Innovation Solution
A blockchain-based iterative validation process that utilizes biometric and protected health information, combined with smart contracts, to securely manage and access patient data by generating cryptographic hashes and recording them on a blockchain network, ensuring secure validation and authorization through a series of iterative checks involving biometric and non-biometric data types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional HIPAA-based access control mechanisms are used, then patient data can be accessed by covered entities, but security against unauthorized access and breaches is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments patient data access control into multiple independent components: biometric data, health information, cryptographic hashes, and blockchain-verified credentials. Each component serves a specific validation function, creating a layered security architecture that is more reliable than traditional monolithic HIPAA access control while maintaining manageable complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces blockchain technology as an intermediary layer between patients and covered entities. The blockchain network verifies cryptographic hashes and validates credentials without requiring direct trust relationships between parties. This intermediary mechanism enhances security reliability while simplifying access control by automating verification through smart contracts.
2Reliability
If multiple validation iterations with biometric and health information are implemented, then authorization security is enhanced, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-computing and storing cryptographic hashes of biometric and health information on the blockchain before actual access requests occur. When validation is needed, the system simply compares incoming data against pre-stored hashes rather than performing complex validation computations in real-time, significantly reducing processing time while maintaining high authorization security.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical validation processes with cryptographic verification. Instead of complex iterative checks of raw biometric and health data, the system uses cryptographic hash comparison, which is computationally more efficient. This substitution maintains authorization security while reducing validation processing time through mathematically optimized verification operations.
3Reliability
If cryptographic hashes of biometric and health information are recorded on blockchain, then data integrity and security are improved, but system complexity and computational requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates cryptographic hash copies of sensitive biometric and health information rather than storing the actual data on the blockchain. These hash copies serve as verifiable fingerprints that prove data integrity without exposing the original sensitive information. This copying approach maintains data integrity while reducing system complexity by storing only compact hash values instead of large binary data sets.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms complex biometric and health information into simplified cryptographic hash parameters. This parameter transformation converts unwieldy binary data into compact, fixed-length strings that are easy to store and verify on the blockchain. The transformation maintains the essential integrity verification function while dramatically reducing the computational and storage complexity of the system.
4Reliability
If iterative validation process with multiple data types is used, then unauthorized access is reduced, but ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service through automated smart contracts on the blockchain that perform validation operations without requiring manual intervention. The system automatically compares cryptographic hashes, verifies credentials, and grants or denies access based on pre-programmed rules. This automation maintains high access control reliability while improving ease of operation by eliminating the need for manual validation steps that would burden users and operators.
Data Source
AI summary
A system receives, from a patient, first biometric data associated with a first biometric data type and second biometric data associated with a second biometric data type and generates a cryptographic hash of the first biometric data and the second biometric data. The system records the biometric numeric score on a blockchain network. The system receives protected health information for the patient and generates a protected health information numeric score based on the protected health information for the patient. The system records the protected health information numeric score on the blockchain network, receives encrypted patient credentials, records the encrypted patient credentials on the blockchain network and generates a master cryptographic hash based at least in part on the recorded biometric numeric score. The system validates, via a validation module including a smart contract operating on the blockchain network, the patient credentials.