Use of blockchain technology for smart health-care services: a critical perspective of ethnic minority group

Kumar, Nishant; Jain, Geetika

Abstract

Purpose
The essence of blockchain governance is a far departure from the cryptocurrency or Bitcoin that has led to innovation and changing the outline of medical services. The major challenge in medical services is the lack of accessibility of medical services and lack of awareness. A large group of the population belonging to an ethnic minority has a high rate of complications, re-operation and graft rejection. To connect with a minority group and address privacy and safety issues, blockchain-based e-health-care services have massive potential in the medical industry, especially from the perspective of the social aspect.

Design/methodology/approach
The study proposed a framework that describes the complex interplay of different stated factors, including perceived ease of use, trust, perceived usefulness and perceived security and privacy. The paper uses structural equation modeling to understand the ethnic minority group’s readiness to adopt blockchain-based e-health-care services.

Findings
It was found that all the direct relationships between variables are supported by the findings and have a significant positive relationship with the adoption intention. The tested framework will help regulatory bodies and marketers to develop support health-care service mechanisms for ethnic minority groups by addressing their issues related to security and privacy.

Originality/value
Blockchain-based e-health-care services have massive potential in the medical industry, although, its actual diffusion has not been explored much, with particular reference to an ethnic minority group. This study will explore the diffusion of smart health-care services with respect to ethnic minority group.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 25, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Jul 6, 2023
• Deposit Date: Oct 6, 2023
• Journal: Journal of Science and Technology Policy Management
• Print ISSN: 2053-4620
• Electronic ISSN: 2053-4620
• Publisher: Emerald
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/jstpm-09-2022-0147
• Keywords: General Medicine; Blockchain Technology; Health Care Services; Technology Acceptance; Adoption Intention; Trust