A Generic Blockchain-Based Remote Clinical Monitoring Framework Through Wearable Devices to Mitigate the COVID-19 Pandemic

At present, the novel coronavirus is posing a bigger threat to the whole human race. However, adopting emerging technologies like the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, and machine learning helps in a greater deal to handle the pandemic effectively. The virus has cost many human lives, and one primary reason could be neglecting the symptoms. The earlier identification of the disease will help in providing immediate medical support. Wearable devices are effective in identifying the coronavirus disease, i.e., COVID-19 cases than the traditional methods. They help in improved tracking and management of the disease. This paper intends to present a framework where the wearable devices associated with the Internet of Things (IoT) collect information from individuals and store it either in a cloud server or to a local fog computing node. Furthermore, the implementation of a decentralized storage system to collect, analyze, and preserve the gathered data among the healthcare professionals is also included in the system. The system takes advantage of blockchain systems to automate smart contracts. The goal of this research is to see how wearable gadgets might help combat COVID-19’s effects by providing efficient methods for identification, monitoring, and collaboration in remote patient monitoring. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

An Approach of Trustworthy Supply Chain Management of Ventilator and PPE in COVID-19 Pandemic Through Blockchain Technology

The rapid outbreak of the pandemic COVID-19 has uncovered how our healthcare systems are confined to handle situation like emergency resilience, mitigation of risks, and supply chain management. One of the major problems during this pandemic is the growing demand of personal protective equipment (PPE) and significant medical supplies resulting in serious shortages for health care and frontline workers. But there has been several fake information being spread during this pandemic creating panic among the public and no system to authenticate the information. The lack of transparency of information along with the difficulty of accurate tracking of goods movements within the supply chain needs a robust traceability system. So, for efficient planning of operational processes and resource arrangements, we need to adhere to innovative technologies like blockchain. It is known that blockchain plays a significant role in healthcare systems. It improves the regulatory approvals and provides a prompt data management in clinical trials. Similarly, in supply chain, it streamlines the communication between different stakeholders, assures safe, transparent, and secure exchange of data among the collaborators. Thus, a blockchain-based tracking system will help the public to receive reliable and authentic information from government agencies. This paper analyzes the different blockchain-based applications and diverse prospects for handling this pandemic situation in a systematic way. It also proposes a blockchain-based supply chain framework for managing ventilators and PPE kits using Ethereum smart contracts. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.