by Ramalingeswara (Ram) Rao Balla
Until very recently, healthcare necessitated physical interactions between patients and clinicians. Over the years, the healthcare industry has evolved in leaps and bounds through cutting-edge innovations such as telemedicine, virtual reality (VR) enabled medical education, robotic surgeries, and so on.
It is given that technology will continue to help healthcare push new frontiers, where the metaverse will play a key role in its transformation. By leveraging virtual reality, augmented reality, and other immersive technologies, the metaverse could offer unparalleled opportunities to revolutionize healthcare. This includes better healthcare delivery, improved remote consultations, enhanced patient experiences, immersive medical training, and so on.
If predictions are anything to go by, the Metaverse and the industry around it are set to boom in the next few years. A report by Bloomberg Intelligence in December 2021 indicates that the Metaverse tech marketplace could touch $800 billion by 2024, and $2.5 trillion by 2030. This would transform virtual reality technology, and by extension, the future of healthcare.
Healthcare in the Metaverse
One of the most significant ways in which the Metaverse could benefit healthcare is through “virtual clinics” where patients and physicians interact through their digital avatars, where distance no longer matters, and language barriers do not exist. On the other hand, through VR, patients can immerse themselves in virtual hospitals, clinics or therapeutic environments, enhancing a sense of familiarity and reducing anxiety associated with medical settings.
Clinicians across countries could investigate a 3D model of the patient’s medical condition to arrive at an informed diagnosis. So, if you’re in Europe and the best physician for your condition is in India, you can simply be in the same room by putting on a pair of headsets. In places with acute shortages of medical professionals, and in cases of extremely rare diseases with a handful of specialists in the field, this can be immensely helpful.
Another beneficial aspect is that clinicians could help break down complex diagnoses for patients using gamified tools and have more control and visibility on how they respond to medication. The Metaverse will also enable surgeons to visualize and simulate surgical procedures ahead of complex surgeries to mitigate the risk of failure.
Moreover, AR can enhance the patient experience by overlaying real-time information on the physical world. This technology can facilitate seamless interactions between patients, caregivers, and doctors, enabling real-time monitoring of vital signs, medication adherence, and personalized guidance for medical administration during self-care procedures.
Challenges ahead
The Metaverse’s operation relies on extensive infrastructure, ranging from consistent 6G connectivity to advanced hardware such as glasses, sensors, and other wearable devices. This may require patients to acquire specific equipment for prescribed treatments. Yet, whether insurance organizations will cover these expenses remains a question.
Moreover, at present, users can control their avatars using VR goggles and gloves. However, more sophisticated and less obtrusive tools are needed when dealing with patients. Presently, AR, VR, and MR devices are neither lightweight, portable, nor affordable, posing an obstacle to the Metaverse’s widespread adoption. Beyond hardware accessibility, the technology itself needs further development to achieve the display quality and pixel density required for a realistic virtual experience.
Even though the integration of various technologies promises significant opportunities in healthcare for both patients and businesses, what remains to be seen is whether this integration will be cost-effective and complies with existing regulations. The focus also needs to be on enhanced security, accuracy, and the need to maintain privacy to ensure the best experience for all users.
The Metaverse is here to stay. And even though it may seem like an unimaginable concept right now, with more than just a few teething issues, it is sure to evolve into an extension of our physical world. So, it might not be far before we can imagine a future in which clinicians greet their patients inside a 3D clinic and examine their digital avatars from any corner of the world.
Ramalingeswara (Ram) Rao Balla, Senior Consultant – Enterprise Growth Group, TCS
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