A Decentralized Information Governance Framework for Implementing Blockchain in Healthcare: An Exploratory Analysis

Abstract

Blockchain was projected to revolutionize health information management and inter-organizational collaboration. In practice, its transformative impact has been limited. Using a three-layer theory, this study adopts critical interpretive synthesis technique and case analysis to examine the impact of blockchain on the healthcare value chain, ultimately proposing an information governance (IG) framework for healthcare blockchain. Our analysis suggests that blockchain has introduced a paradigm shift in the healthcare value chain, such as empowering patients in care and data monetization, extending the traditional value chain, and facilitating distributed connections between stakeholders. Effective IG is crucial to unleashing the value of information and transforming the healthcare ecosystem. Healthcare's IG peculiarity necessitates a mix of individual and institutional accountability and an extending of reliance on the trusted third party. We advocate for an IG framework focusing on sustaining institutional trust anchors, enabling a mix of individual autonomy and negotiated institutional responsibility, and ensuring ethical compliance.