# Privacy-Preserving Data Sharing in Telehealth Services
###### Abstract  
In today's healthcare industry, safeguarding patient data is critical due to the increasing digitization of medical records, which makes them vulnerable to cyber threats. Telehealth services, while providing immense benefits in terms of accessibility and efficiency, introduce complex challenges in maintaining data privacy and security. This paper proposes a privacy-preserving framework for secure data sharing within telehealth services, employing blockchain technology and advanced cryptographic techniques. The framework ensures that all patient health data are encrypted using homomorphic encryption before storage on the blockchain, guaranteeing confidentiality and protecting data from unauthorized access. Secure multi-party computation (SMPC) is integrated for encrypted data computations, maintaining data confidentiality even during operations. Smart contracts enforce access control, ensuring that patient preferences and regulatory requirements such as the HIPAA and the GDPR are met. Furthermore, the framework includes auditing and verifying data integrity mechanisms, making it resilient against cyber threats such as impersonation, replay, and Man-In-The-Middle attacks. The analysis demonstrates the framework's superior performance in addressing these challenges compared to that of existing systems. Future work suggests integrating AI-driven threat detection and quantum-resistant cryptographic techniques to enhance security further and adapt to the evolving telehealth landscape. elehealth; privacy preserving; blockchain; homomorphic encryption; data security +
Footnote †: journal: Applied sciences  
by cybercriminals, with the average cost of a data breach being higher than in any other industry [7]. This susceptibility is partly due to the high value of health records on the black market, where they can fetch prices significantly higher than credit card details [8]. The legal and regulatory landscape governing the protection of health information has also evolved [9]. Laws such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the United States mandate stringent protections for patient data. The HIPAA's Privacy and Security Rules are designed to safeguard the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of protected health information (PHI) and impose significant penalties for non-compliance. Similarly, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union introduces rigorous data protection requirements for all entities handling the personal data of EU citizens, including health-related information [10; 11; 12]. To effectively combat the growing challenges of healthcare data security, healthcare organizations are adopting a multi-layered security strategy incorporating several key practices. Encryption is crucial, as it secures data at rest and in transit, ensuring the information remains unreadable to unauthorized parties even if intercepted. Access controls are also critical, as they employ stringent authentication measures to restrict access to sensitive data according to an individual's role within the organization. Furthermore, healthcare providers increasingly focus on regular audits and penetration testing to proactively identify and address security vulnerabilities [13]. Data anonymization is another important practice [14]; it involves stripping personally identifiable information from data sets intended for research or other secondary purposes, thus safeguarding patient privacy. Employee training is also essential, equipping staff with the knowledge to recognize and respond to phishing attacks and other cyber threats. Lastly, secure software development practices ensure that software solutions developed or procured meet rigorous security standards, especially those managing protected health information (PHI). This comprehensive approach enhances the security of sensitive health data and builds a foundation of trust and compliance within the healthcare ecosystem [15].