Future of Metaverse in Healthcare : Promises a new future in Healthcare 4.0

The metaverse appears poised to become the enduring norm for all facets of life, including healthcare. Even as the metaverse in healthcare continues to develop, it undeniably presents intriguing opportunities by combining technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), Web 3.0, smart clouds, edge computing, and quantum computing, as well as robotics, to offer innovative capabilities. It has offered a passage for these four significant ways of revolutionizing healthcare.

Let us examine the prospects and developments that lie ahead for this groundbreaking technology.

Anticipated Metaverse Transformations in Healthcare

Emergence of Virtual Hospitals:

Virtual hospitals that are accessible through headsets emphasize counseling and physiotherapy services. Computer vision aids in assessing joint mobility and patient recovery progress during physiotherapy. Latus Healthcare in the United Kingdom is actively developing a virtual hospital to be launched as a service within the next 12 to 18 months.

Apollo Hospitals Group in India has partnered with 8chili Inc. to introduce a modern virtual hospital environment within the metaverse. This innovative approach incorporates pre- and post-operative virtual reality counseling, providing patients with serene narratives to exert control over their physiological responses. It also integrates virtual reality-mediated exercises to enhance emotional regulation, offering a personalized approach that revolves around patient satisfaction and outcomes.

Healthcare Gamification:

Gamification is widely used in health and wellness applications, focusing on disease prevention, self-management, medication adherence, and telemedicine. The metaverse enhances this process by creating immersive virtual environments where patients can complete tasks, engage in challenges, and earn badges as rewards. They can set personal goals and compete against others in various healthcare applications, nurturing motivation and active participation.

Mango Health in the US encourages medication adherence through gamification, rewarding patients with badges for consistency and providing information on drug side effects. The Happify platform in the US offers science-based activities to boost emotional well-being. 

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) in Surgery:

AR and VR technologies have found applications in inpatient behavioral health support, surgery, and diagnostic imaging within the metaverse. The AR/VR market in healthcare is projected to reach USD 16.2 billion by 2027.

AR/VR systems are employed for diagnosis, pre-surgical preparation, training, and even within operating rooms. For instance, Immersive Touch in the US offers an AR/VR platform that utilizes diagnostic imaging data for surgical planning, 3D anatomy examination, and practice of surgical procedures. EchoPixel provides an interactive virtual reality surgical platform, enabling real-time enhancement of medical images to aid surgeons.

Enhanced Medical Education and Training:

The metaverse revolutionizes medical education by enabling interactive online practical courses and simulation training. It goes beyond the knowledge of transmission to provide immersive experiences for advanced hand skills and interactions, offering a 360-degree view of diseases and treatments.

MetaMedics VR in the EU develops a 3D virtual environment for medical training, accessible globally, democratizing medical education by offering diverse treatments and protocols. Beyond Metaverse in the US facilitates collaborative medical education, training, planning, and operations, utilizing advanced cloud and real-time communication technology to enhance healthcare professionals’ skills.

These advancements in the metaverse promise to reshape healthcare, offering novel approaches to treatment, patient engagement, surgical practice, and medical education.

Obstacles Encountered in Integrating the Metaverse into Healthcare

Compliance with Patient Safety and Privacy Regulations:

The primary challenge in incorporating the metaverse into healthcare lies in aligning with patient safety and privacy regulations, such as HIPAA guidelines. Stakeholders must ensure the secure storage of patients’ confidential information, including Protected Health Information (PHI) and electronic PHI (ePHI). As telemedicine and mobile device integration gain popularity, policymakers will need to adapt HIPAA regulations to address the extensive data available within the metaverse.

Concerns about Cybersecurity:

The metaverse’s integration into healthcare raises concerns about the security of patient data, particularly in the face of increasing cyber attacks. Healthcare institutions are frequent targets for cybercriminals due to the perceived high value and vulnerability of patient information. The convergence of the metaverse and healthcare introduces a new set of security challenges. Moreover, with the proliferation of patient data, privacy remains a critical concern. The acceptability of patient interactions within the metaverse on a large scale is still uncertain, although initial results appear promising.

Higher Implementation Costs:

Realizing the metaverse’s full potential in healthcare demands substantial infrastructure investments. Many healthcare providers, including physicians and hospitals, may find it financially challenging to adopt this technology due to the costs associated with advanced hardware, such as eyewear, sensors, and other wearable, as well as the need for uninterrupted 5G connectivity.

Interoperability Challenges:

Interoperability, a crucial aspect of contemporary healthcare technology, presents a formidable obstacle. Incorporating a new feature like the metaverse can have unforeseen and significant effects on devices that are easily portable between different platforms and networks. The metaverse’s adoption will likely be a gradual process, necessitating updates to data and communication standards within the healthcare industry to ensure seamless integration.

Conclusion

The Metaverse has transcended the realm of science fiction and has firmly established itself as an integral component of the next generation of healthcare, often referred to as Healthcare 4.0. In essence, healthcare leaders must wholeheartedly embrace the Metaverse and consistently explore its potential applications to enhance the safety, inclusivity, and accessibility of healthcare for all. We must eagerly await the healthcare industry’s strategy for incorporating this virtual realm securely and with a patient-centric approach, adapting to the evolving landscape of technologies and patient requirements.