As digitization and automation have developed new models that are opening up new paths for providing treatment at a cheaper cost, the healthcare industry has evolved increasingly quickly. The ‘Metaverse,’ a new digital technology that enables both patients and medical professionals to enjoy genuine experiences, offers huge potential for the healthcare sector. The Metaverse is a convergence of many enabling technologies, such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality, augmented reality, the internet of medical devices, robotics, quantum computing, etc., that allows for the investigation of novel methods for providing high-quality healthcare treatments and services. These technologies working together ensure tailored, close-knit patient care. Metaverse use cases in healthcare provide innovative adaptive solutions that eliminate barriers between patients and healthcare providers.
By Technology
- AR
- VR
- AI
- MR
By Devices
- VR Headsets
- AR Devices
- Mixed Reality Platforms
By End User
- Medical Training & Education Modules
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
- Others
| Report Coverage | Details |
| Market Size in 2022 | USD 8.9 Billion |
| Market Size by 2030 | USD 72.10 Billion |
| Growth Rate from 2022 to 2030 | CAGR of 29.89% |
| Base Year | 2021 |
| Forecast Period | 2022 to 2030 |
| Segments Covered | Component, Technology, Devices, End User and Geography |
By 2030, the global market for metaverse in healthcare is anticipated to develop at a CAGR of 35.28% and be worth $54.47 billion. It is anticipated that the growing use of AR and VR platforms to carry out intricate surgical procedures with greater flexibility and precision would accelerate market growth. Medical metaverse healthcare companies already make use of some aspects of the metaverse. Healthcare is now significantly impacted by the expanding use of VR in medical education, the use of AR in surgery, the use of gamification to connect hospital staff and patients, interoperability, and other elements of the metaverse.
Top Metaverse Use Cases in Healthcare Industry Today!
# Telehealth
Physical barriers have been removed thanks to the development of telemedicine via fusing with the metaverse. During the pandemic, telehealth gained popularity and finally took the place of in-person consultations or visits with medical professionals for the majority of patients and caregivers. Even while it appeared that the introduction of Covid-19 vaccinations to promote the economy and encourage patients to visit clinics, hospitals, and doctors would diminish the usage of telemedicine, it ultimately proved to be the most dependable way for patients and medical professionals to communicate.
Telehealth is a dramatic shift in the way healthcare providers deliver their services in immersive, virtual, and interactive online settings that foster cross-disciplinary cooperation.
# Digital Twins
A virtual simulation of any system, process, or product called a “digital twin” was developed using real data to discover more about its true counterpart. In the context of healthcare, the patient might be the mirror image of the metaverse technology.
Digital twins are anticipated to operate as “test dummies” for users, and they can be used to predict anything from how someone will recover from surgery to how they would react to specific treatments. Millions of users who could see the connection between voiceprint and human bodily function made Soniphi digital twin their preferred platform.
# Virtual Hospitals
Building a virtual hospital in the metaverse provides hospitals with a number of benefits, including access to a larger geographic area, lower operational expenses per patient, lower readmission rates, shorter wait times, and other advantages. The convergence of technologies like cloud technology, AR/VR, IoT, and, most crucially, metaverse use cases in healthcare, has accelerated the development of virtual hospitals. There is no longer a need for in-person visits because doctors can remotely monitor their patients’ health problems while they are in hospitals. On the other side, patients can keep an eye on their health and behave more responsibly.
# Digital Therapeutic
There are already signs that digital therapies offer fantastic healthcare potential in the metaverse. With uses like cognitive therapy, support groups, psychiatric examinations, rehabilitation, and – with the aid of haptic sensors – even physical treatment made feasible by VR and AR technologies in the metaverse for healthcare, the field of digital therapies is rapidly growing. The creation of digital medications that integrate the best elements of the physical and digital worlds has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. For instance, metaverse healthcare companies can conduct daily check-ups and consultations using remote monitoring while visiting patients in the metaverse.
# Blockchain Technology
A patient care, medical education, and remote consultations could all be revolutionized by the usage of metaverse in the healthcare industry. These include healthcare providers and institutions, insurance companies, and even governmental bodies. Blockchain technology in healthcare could streamline the interactions of all of these parties, making it simpler to transfer information essential to patient care. For instance, the healthcare sector employs blockchain technology to create a safe, decentralized platform for storing medical data. Giving consumers exclusive control over their health data also makes it easier for medical professionals to access blockchain medical information from anywhere.
Challenges in Metaverse Healthcare Integration
Metaverse use cases in healthcare is still in its early stages and will face many difficulties. These difficulties will open up opportunities for the metaverse in healthcare to become more well-known. Once it has been handled, healthcare metaverse development will be able to handle concerns in a highly economical and effective manner. Let’s examine the difficulties that metaverse healthcare companies are facing.
HIPAA Compliance
HIPAA compliance is an established standard for safeguarding private patient information and medical records, including PHI and ePHIs. HIPAA prohibits the arbitrary exchange of patient information without their permission. To protect patients from data breaches, any technology must update its HIPAA policies. It is important to keep in mind that the metaverse is still fragmented despite its growth towards a single platform. Every metaverse platform has its own unique set of guidelines. To achieve full compliance, healthcare organizations will need to stay up to date on recent developments.Â
Interoperability
In today’s healthcare ecosystem, interoperability is crucial for both the business and technology of healthcare. A separate set of hardware and software will be needed for collaboration and effective operation in metaverse healthcare because interoperability is still a significant barrier for the sector. Although it could seem like a difficult task, it is required.
Lack of standards
In the metaverse, there is still no established norm for healthcare. In the meta world, this gap in healthcare norms will have to be filled from start. In the upcoming years, this will be a time-consuming and expensive task.
Rise in spending
Financial investments of a sizeable scale will be required to develop the ideal metaverse healthcare system. Healthcare institutions will need to make investments in employee training, hardware, software, and other areas as well. For small and mid-cap healthcare businesses, this might be a barrier.
Health and Nutrition in Metaverse: Use of Augmented Reality
People can encourage people to adopt more healthy behaviors by letting them know that their peers are also leading healthy lifestyles by sharing their exercise plans and diets with their peers in the metaverse. Patients can also compare their vital signs and other metrics with those of others who have the same conditions as they have. Other medical professionals, such as doctors and medical personnel, are increasingly being trained about metaverse use cases in healthcare. Virtual reality can be used to duplicate real-world procedures or to transfer students inside human bodies and provide them with a 360-degree picture of patients’ conditions.
With the expanding use of robotics in operating rooms, augmented realities could soon be advantageous in even the most difficult surgical procedures. Augmented reality will soon be used during more complicated operations in addition to the use of robots during surgery. Medical experts anticipate the development of new procedures that will enable them to carry out these operations with better precision, whether it be the removal of cancerous tumors or the execution of a complex spinal operation.Â
The Future of Healthcare in the Metaverse
Combining healthcare with metaverse capabilities is unquestionably the way to a future in which all aspects of healthcare are totally digital, everyone has access to high-quality healthcare despite physical limitations and cutting-edge technology improves the effectiveness of treatment. The metaverse is still a popular topic, and given the benefits it has already brought to the healthcare sector, it is expected to continue to grow and improve. To realize its full potential, the metaverse business must, however, overcome certain significant obstacles, such as putting in place the appropriate data protection measures and persuading medical institutions to invest in the adoption of the metaverse.
Blockchain provides decentralization, improved security, transparency, and traceability to data exchange, giving a solution to the first challenge. Blockchain technology is already being widely used in the healthcare industry, and as time goes on, we’ll see it develop even more. In terms of metaverse healthcare companies investing heavily in the metaverse, much will depend on obtaining strong outcomes that will consistently demonstrate the metaverse worth. However, a promising development is already apparent, since metaverse healthcare is expanding steadily. Healthcare in the metaverse is a far more recent development. The difficulties must yet be overcome, but considering how quickly healthcare organizations have integrated technology thanks to metaverse development, platforms will change to support metaverse integration in a more straightforward and effective way.
Final Note
Currently, compliance standards are still being developed, and it is unknown how well metaverse virtual reality will integrate with existing healthcare compliance requirements. So let’s keep an eye out for metaverse trends that will have an impact on the healthcare industry in the years to come.
