An assessment of Requirements Status for Blockchain Modeling to Enhance Data Integrity: A Study of Dispensed Drugs at Homabay County Referral Hospital

Abstract

This study assesses the status of requirements for blockchain modeling towards reinforcing the data integrity of dispensed drugs at Homabay County Referral Hospital. The primary objectives was to, establish the requirements for an effective based model to reinforce data integrity with the aim of addressing challenges such as counterfeiting, data tampering and poor traceability. The research study involved 54 purposively and snowball sampled stakeholders from Homabay County Referral Hospital including pharmacy staff, healthcare providers, administrators, procurement officers and patients out of a target population of 90. Data was collected through interviews and observations, then analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively using thematic analysis across attributes. The findings indicated that the contribution of various blockchain designs by various requirements were platform adherence (20%), distributed ledger technology (28%), consensus protocols (32%) and cryptographic controls (45%). Chi-Square test across attributes revealed significant association of a block chain requirement of 0.003. Based on the requirements a block chain model was designed. The study recommends upgrading its technological infrastructure by investing in modern hardware and software capable of supporting blockchain technology. Future research should focus on evaluating the long-term impacts, scalability, cost-effectiveness and acceptance of blockchain solutions in resource-limited healthcare settings through longitudinal studies to facilitate system refinement and broader adoption