There's no denying that healthcare services are facing immense pressure worldwide. The impact of the pandemic has resulted in long waiting times, limited access to certain services, and exorbitant medical costs depending on your location. However, emerging metaverse technologies like virtual reality (VR) and digital twins have the potential to not only enhance patient outcomes but also to revolutionize access to healthcare services.

Let's delve into five ways the metaverse could reshape the healthcare landscape for the better. Revolutionizing Remote Appointments

Many of us have already experienced telephone or video consultations with doctors and healthcare professionals in recent years. Now, imagine donning a VR headset and immersing yourself in a remote consultation that feels incredibly lifelike.

Whether it's an annual check-up, reviewing test results, or diagnosing a visually identifiable minor condition, VR can take remote appointments to a whole new level of immersion. This technology allows both you and the practitioner to feel more present and engaged, surpassing the experience provided by traditional telephone or video consultations.

Naturally, not all appointments are suited for VR, but for family doctors who often handle routine check-ups and minor complaints, remote consultations can be highly effective.

Wearable devices like the Apple Watch, which can collect extensive data on our body, including heart rate, sleep patterns, and physical activity, will likely play a role in this transformation. In the future, this data could seamlessly be shared with physicians, enabling them to make more informed decisions during remote consultations.

Exploring Metaverse Hospitals

Building upon the concept of VR consultations, we can envision virtual hospitals within the metaverse. 

These virtual clinics would be accessible through VR headsets, enabling patients to attend remote appointments and receive care without physically visiting a medical facility. This setup would be particularly beneficial for mental health treatment and even physiotherapy, where cameras can monitor a patient's physical movements in the real world.

For regions facing shortages of medical professionals or rural areas where traveling long distances for care is a challenge, virtual clinics have the potential to transform healthcare accessibility.

Embracing Personal Digital Twins

Digital twin technology has already made remarkable progress in creating simulations of real-world objects like machines, components, and even entire cities. So why not apply this concept to the human body?

Although we don't yet have complete digital twins of human beings, experts are actively working towards it. For instance, scientists have used digital twins to mimic heart cells and assess the necessity and risks of surgery for certain patients.

Projects like the EU-funded Neurotwin are designing digital twins of individuals' entire brains to enhance the treatment of neurological disorders such as epilepsy.

If this technology were to evolve to encompass the entire human body, healthcare providers could use digital twins as virtual test subjects for patients. With a highly accurate digital representation of your body, down to the cellular level, your healthcare provider could predict various outcomes, such as your response to specific medications or your recovery from an illness.

In other words, each of us could possess our own digital twin, enabling healthcare professionals to run tests and design personalized treatment and rehabilitation plans. They could even "age" your digital twin by, let's say, ten years or more to observe how present interventions might impact your future health. It's truly remarkable!

Metaverse technologies could bring together surgeons from different parts of the world, allowing them to collaborate and rehearse complex procedures in a virtual space.

Well, this has already begun to some extent.

For example, a surgeon in Lisbon, Portugal, performed breast cancer surgery while receiving guidance from a doctor located 900 kilometers away in Spain. Through the use of mixed reality goggles, the remotely supervising surgeon was virtually present in the operating room, enabling better supervision and mentorship of newly qualified surgeons.

Immersive technologies can also play a role in helping patients relax before and during surgery. A pilot study conducted at St George's Hospital in London focused on patients undergoing procedures with regional anesthesia. They were given the option to use a VR headset before and during their operation, immersing themselves in calming virtual landscapes.

Also Read: VR in Educational Surgical Training

The results were astounding!

100 percent of participants reported an improved hospital experience, 94 percent felt more relaxed, and 80 percent experienced reduced pain.

Accessing Immersive Therapy

Virtual reality (VR) is already proving to be a valuable tool in mental health treatment, particularly in exposure therapy. Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) is increasingly being used to treat PTSD and anxiety disorders.

VRET involves exposing patients to scenarios that may trigger their symptoms within a controlled and safe virtual environment. The goal is to help patients confront their triggers, process associated emotions, and engage more deeply with their treatment.

One significant advantage for clinicians is the ability to simulate personalized scenarios that would be challenging to recreate in the real world while maintaining full control over the patient's exposure. Patients, on the other hand, may experience a greater sense of control compared to confronting triggers in real-life settings.

Additionally, treatment can be continued at home at the patient's own pace. VRET has demonstrated success in reducing depression and PTSD symptoms, including cases of military sexual trauma and various phobias like fear of flying, heights, and spiders.

Conclusion

In conclusion, immersive metaverse technologies have the potential to enhance patient outcomes, increase global access to healthcare, and alleviate the strain on our struggling healthcare systems. The future holds exciting possibilities, and we eagerly await the realization of these innovations.