Abstract:
Problem: The healthcare industry requires a secure and efficient system to verify and manage the credentials of professionals. Traditional centralized systems are prone to security vulnerabilities, inefficiencies, and delays, posing risks such as credential fraud and unauthorized access. This project aims to develop a cryptographic identity issuance system specifically designed for healthcare professionals, ensuring secure, tamper-proof, and easily verifiable credentials.
Methodology: The system HealthCred is implemented using a blockchain-based framework to decentralize credential storage and enhance security. Cryptographic techniques, including public-key encryption, ensure data confidentiality and authenticity. Smart contracts automate credential issuance and revocation processes, eliminating manual errors. Public datasets of healthcare professionals' credentials are integrated into the system after preprocessing steps such as data normalization and format standardization.
Through the development and testing of HealthCred, this research demonstrates a practical use of blockchain to address credentialing challenges in healthcare. The solution contributes to knowledge by bridging gaps in current literature and applications through the integration of blockchain, decentralized identity, and smart contracts for real-world credential verification. It lays a strong foundation for future enhancements, including mobile support, privacy-preserving verification, and regulator-facing analytics dashboards.
