How the Metaverse will Change the Future of Healthcare

The Current State of Healthcare Technology

The healthcare sector has come a long way in the past few decades. But the speed at which it’s growing now is mindblowing.

We see new implementations of technology, completely new ideas, and more automation. 

Things that used to be shown in sci-fi movies like drones delivering critical medical supplies, a stem-cell cure for diabetes, a pocket ultrasound, and virtual reality that speeds healing at rehab, now are becoming a reality.

Revolutionary Changes in Healthcare through the Metaverse

The connection of metaverse and healthcare is still evolving showing the enormous potential to transform the way we receive medical services.

According to a recent report, the global metaverse healthcare industry is projected to reach $79.6 billion by 2028 which is a CAGR of 52.9% growth from now. 

Let’s have a look at some applications of the metaverse that we’re probably going to experience in the future:

# Virtual Hospitals

With the advancement of telemedicine, physical borders between doctors and patients have been eliminated. However, video consultations still don’t give the same feeling of engagement and personalization as face-to-face visits.

Medical metaverse gives another opportunity to receive quality care without leaving your home - virtual hospitals. 

A virtual hospital in the metaverse replicates the feeling of a real medical facility where patients and healthcare providers can engage in virtual consultations using avatars. This concept may also include telepresence technologies where healthcare providers, represented by avatars, can virtually "visit" patients in their homes.

Patients with similar health conditions can also form support groups and communities to exchange their experiences and give emotional support to each other. While doctors can discuss cases with other medical professionals and practice their skills using 3D models and simulations.

# Digital Twins

A digital twin uses real-time data to learn about different processes and concepts to project a virtual simulation of literary anything from replicas of biological systems to individual patients.

It’s a kind of “test dummy” that healthcare professionals can leverage to forecast patients’ reactions to a particular medicine or how they will recover from surgery, for example.

From existing on computer screens, digital twins are predicted to transform into AI-powered holographic images that are given different tasks. Here are some examples of how digital twins can be utilized in the medical metaverse:

1. Digital twins can create personalized models of individual patients, considering their genetic makeup, medical history, and lifestyle. This way, healthcare professionals can tailor personalized treatment plans and interventions based on the unique characteristics of each patient.
2. By creating a virtual replica of a patient's anatomy, surgeons can practice and optimize surgical complex procedures before they happen.
3. Digital twins can model the progression of diseases within the human body. This can aid in understanding disease dynamics, predicting potential complications, and testing the efficacy of various treatment strategies.
4. In drug development, digital twins help simulate the response of virtual patients to medications. This allows researchers to assess the potential effectiveness and side effects of new drugs before conducting clinical trials, potentially speeding up the drug discovery process.
5. For patients undergoing rehabilitation or those with prosthetics, digital twins can model the patient's movements and responses. This information helps in designing personalized rehabilitation programs and optimizing the fit and functionality of prosthetic devices.

# VR-Based Training

Metaverse is becoming a controlled and safe environment for healthcare professionals to learn and improve their skills.

For example, surgeons already leverage VR and AR innovative solutions not only for pre-operative examination of organs but also for exploring 3D models of complex surgical procedures. 

Through interactive virtual reality technologies, doctors and medical students can also fully immerse themselves into a virtual world where they can examine patients, read their disease history, diagnose, and prescribe treatment. They can communicate with patients’ family members and experience emergency scenarios. In the end, students receive feedback on their performance.

Globally, companies like Oxford Medical Simulation are already providing such platforms with scenarios spanning various specialties, including community health, psychiatry, pediatrics, nursing, and medicine.

According to a study by the Harvard Business Review, the adoption of these technologies resulted in a 230% increase in surgeons' productivity compared to their conventionally trained colleagues.

The Impact of the Metaverse on Mental Health Treatment

Virtual mental health appointments are becoming more and more popular, ranking highest among specialties in 2023. 

By the third quarter of that year, 37% of mental health visits occurred virtually, surpassing other fields such as infectious disease, obstetrics, and transplant. 

Unfortunately, the prevalence of mental health disorders is increasing, and there is a shortage of healthcare professionals to address the needs of millions requiring care. In the United States alone, one in five adults reported unmet mental health needs.

Here comes the healthcare metaverse which holds a promise to make mental health treatment even more accessible and cost-effective than telemedicine. 

How can metaverse be used in the field of mental healthcare?

• Fighting Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Anxiety, and Phobias

Caregivers can craft personalized virtual environments mirroring specific combat scenarios related to a patient's trauma, facilitating the development of coping mechanisms and appropriate responses.

Notably, various institutions, including hospitals, army bases, and university centers, have already adopted "Bravemind," a VR exposure therapy system. This innovative approach holds the promise of reducing trauma, suicidal ideation, depression, and anger in soldiers grappling with PTSD.

• Stress and Pain Management

Mental healthcare in the metaverse can benefit from immersing users in virtual environments so that they can distract themselves from their illnesses and change the hospital scenery to decrease pain and stress.

• Coping with ADHD

VR-based performance tests have already proven effective in diagnosing and addressing attention deficit hyperactivity disorders in children. 

An illustration of this progress is the FDA's approval of EndeavorRx in 2020, marking the first video game-based therapy for any condition, specifically designed as a treatment for ADHD. 

The game engages children in racing characters through obstacle courses that demand focus, multitasking, and avoidance of distractions—a methodology that effectively trains attention control. The game dynamically adjusts difficulty levels to keep children challenged, incorporating stimuli aimed at targeting the brain regions involved in attention.

XRHealth has already introduced a VR therapy app for ADHD, further contributing to the improvement of attention, organization, and planning skills while mitigating impulsive behavior.

• Managing Eating Disorders

Binge eating and bulimia nervosa can also be addressed with virtual reality exposure therapy. The study has shown that the VR group had better body image improvement than those participants who received only cognitive behavioral therapy. 

During a one-year follow-up, this group also demonstrated advancements in body attitudes, reduced frequency of negative thoughts related to body image, increased satisfaction levels, decreased discomfort in body-related situations, and alleviated symptoms of bulimia nervosa.

• Autism Spectrum Disorder

A great example of leveraging VR to help individuals with ASD is Floreo. The system uses immersive environments to teach social, behavioral, speech, and motor skills to individuals with ASD.

Beyond teaching new skills, VR also assists individuals with ASD in preparing for stressful situations, public speaking, and addressing phobias such as fear of public transport, classrooms, balloons, and animals. 

In a recent study, autistic children with phobias underwent treatment using an immersive therapy known as the Blue Room, which involved immersing the children in a 360-degree interactive display without the need for them to wear a VR headset.

The Future of Healthcare: Predictions and Possibilities

The healthcare future isn’t metaverse-related only. A wide range of technologies are currently used to make healthcare services more accessible, patient-oriented, and affordable. Here are the future trends in the healthcare sector.

Integrating AI and Machine Learning

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are already actively used for collecting and analyzing big data volumes, enhancing diagnostics, and remote patient monitoring.

Predictive Analytics in Patient Care

By analyzing historical patient data, medical professionals can predict the likelihood of specific health events, such as hospital readmissions or disease progression.

Personalized Treatment Plans

Advances in precision medicine, including genomic medicine, allow healthcare providers to identify specific biomarkers and genetic factors that influence disease susceptibility and response to treatments.

Blockchain for Healthcare Data Security

Blockchain technologies can contribute to secure and interoperable health data sharing, ensuring patient privacy and data integrity.

AR & VR in Medical Training

Surgeons can use VR solutions to visualize and examine human organs and explore 3D models of intricate surgical procedures before commencing operations.

Robotics for Surgery and Rehabilitation

Surgical robots enable more precise and minimally invasive procedures, while rehabilitation robots assist in the recovery of motor skills for patients with physical impairments.

Quantum Computing for Healthcare Research

Quantum computing has the potential to process vast amounts of healthcare data, contributing to more accurate simulations, drug discovery, and complex data analysis.

Telehealth and Remote Patient Monitoring

Telemedicine has become a major catalyst for transformation in healthcare. Digital consultations eliminate the necessity for patients to travel long distances to see a doctor, and enhance the efficient utilization of time and resources.

Ethical and Privacy Concerns in a Virtual Reality Healthcare Environment

Despite the progressive healthcare future of the metaverse, there are still some challenges and issues the implementation of virtual reality presents.

Data Security and Patient Privacy

Health data breaches and cyber threats pose significant risks, highlighting the need for robust encryption, secure communication channels, and adherence to stringent data protection regulations like HIPAA. 

Striking a balance between accessibility and safeguarding patient privacy remains an ongoing challenge, demanding continuous advancements in cybersecurity measures within virtual healthcare systems.

Ethical Aspects of Virtual Healthcare

Healthcare organizations must address such issues as equitable access to virtual services, informed consent for remote treatments, and the potential for technology-driven disparities in healthcare access. 

Conclusion

Summing up, healthcare providers need to determine the ways that they can engage with metaverse healthcare. Starting with the analysis of the use cases in the market and those that are currently under development, they must define their vision on strategical investment into their own use case of metaverse in healthcare. This way, they can evolve with the market.