Proposed Architecture for Hospital 4.0: Integrating IoT, Edge AI, and Blockchain for Secure and Efficient Healthcare Systems

Abstract

The rapid development of various healthcare technologies results in an innovative context known as Hospital 4.0, which integrates Internet of Things (IoT), AI, and blockchain to enhance patient care, optimize operational efficiency, and guarantee robust data security. This paper proposes an innovative layered architecture that can solve some critical problems of healthcare systems: patient identification, real-time data processing, security, scalability, and interoperability. The architecture ensures that it is highly adaptable and accurate by incorporating three IoT-enabled methods of identification, including facial recognition, fingerprint scanning, and NFC/RFID. Advanced AI algorithms process biometric data, enabling real-time insight with privacy guarantees. Blockchain technology enhances security, offering an immutable, decentralized ledger for managing interactions with electronic health records (EHRs). The interoperability of the proposed framework also rests on standards like HL7 FHIR and protocols like MQTT that ensure seamless exchange of data amongst diverse systems. It further explores scalability and regulatory compliance through practical applications, including patient-centric engagement tools and predictive analytics. The architecture puts together dispersed technological innovations in an effort to provide a robust foundation for safe, efficient, patient-centered healthcare delivery and sets the stage for further research into its widespread adoption.