An architecture for secure e-Health systems

The aging of population in developed countries and, consequently, the growth of chronic deseases is pushing public health industry to find solutions in order to bring healthcare to patients homes. This can significantly contribute to the reduction of healthcare cost by avoiding unnecessary hospitalisations and ensuring that those who need urgent care get it sooner. Many e-Health systems for remote patients assistance are being developed among the research community. Security has become a key issue in order to ensure the privacy and confidentiality of individuals. This paper proposes a general architecture for e-Health systems and discusses the security issues it leads to and provides a specific framework based on interoperability and well-known standards.