Digital healthcare has been one of the initial verticals to adopt digital technologies in order to deliver quality care openly. Since the industry has personalized care by adopting advanced technologies, the process has become more convenient, transparent, and preventative for patients and users.
This digital transformation in healthcare has led the industry to embrace the next big technology of the decade, “Metaverse.” Metaverse is an ecosystem based on physical, virtual, and augmented reality. Accessed from anywhere, Metaverse bridges the gap between virtual and physical by creating an immersive, interactive, and experiential experience for the users.
Based on the three significant technology trends (AR, VR, and Mixed Reality), Metaverse has the potential to deliver care at a lower cost and vastly improve patient health outcomes. The top industry experts suggest that Metaverse is currently in its novelty phase, which means medical businesses looking forward to adopting digital transformation still have the opportunity to explore Metaverse development services to gain a competitive advantage in the market.
Current Market Standard for Metaverse in Healthcare
As per Precedence Research, the Metaverse in the healthcare market was valued at $6.85 billion in 2021. This value is expected to grow at a CAGR of 29.89% and surpass around $72.10 billion by the year 2030.
The primary reason for this outstanding growth is the fact that Metaverse incorporates Artificial Intelligence, AR/VR, Web 3.0, Robotics, Edge and Cloud Computing, and the Internet of Medical Devices, all of the technologies that emphasize positive results in patient care and healthcare operations.
Apart from these figures, US healthcare is predicted to invest over $8.3 trillion by 2040 to adopt emerging technologies. Two-thirds of this technology is also said to be invested in generation technology, well-being processes, and services.
If these estimates prove accurate, the complete Metaverse concept in healthcare can be positively incorporated, revolutionizing data management, telemedicine, simulated surgeries and diagnosis, everything.
Potential Applications of Metaverse in Healthcare
As per the top healthcare app development companies of 2022, medical businesses have already made Metaverse an integral piece of the healthcare system. Businesses choosing innovation have started to incorporate Metaverse to offer a new interaction between patients and professionals and utilize every single data piece that can enhance the quality of the process.
How? Well, here are a few potential Metaverse applications channelizing virtual treatments and diagnosis in healthcare:
Metaverse for mental health support
Mental health is already a growing concern for healthcare professionals affecting patients’ daily schedules and other associated disorders. Digital experience in the Metaverse ecosystem can have a direct impact on the mood and behavior of the patients, bringing relief and invoking temporary happiness.
Major technology companies are working on Metaverse with the aim of transforming the mental health treatment landscape. Metaverse is also said to be beneficial in ministering and treating anxiety-associated disorders, PTSD, hallucinations, ADHD, phobias, and severe delusional brain fog.
Although the possibilities are unlimited, industry experts are carefully devising Metaverse use cases for healthcare to avoid any catastrophic impact on patients.
Metaverse for healthcare education and training
The Metaverse technology in its advanced form is likely to lead to more refined medical visualizations and the practice of new techniques. Currently, several Medtech startups are working on the AR/VR platform for healthcare to create remote collaboration platforms to engage patients, educate medical professionals, and train surgeons and paramedics in a skill-based virtual environment.
Metaverse for the surgical segment
The possible Metaverse surgeries require a greater understanding of the human body, where the technology can offer a 360-degree view of body ailments and replicate real-world procedures. With the potential to become the most vital surgical tool, Metaverse can foster a high degree of immersion and cooperation.
Metaverse for pain management and radiology
Metaverse to manage pain? Yes, it’s possible. VR and Metaverse in the more advanced form can be used in the mind-body treatment to distract the mind from pain and block the pain signals from reaching the brain.
Moreover, Metaverse with its immersive visual properties is expected to offer enhanced radiology results to assist in more reasonable decisions. Similarly, chronic disease management, in-home care, consultation, and rehabilitation are other possible applications of Metaverse in healthcare.
Future of Healthcare in Metaverse
Over the past few years, Metaverse and healthcare have gained wide attention from different spectrums of people, industries, and healthcare app development services. As the technology evolves, the healthcare industry will be able to deliver more collaborative treatment programs, not hindered by the current soiled medical system.
Additionally, Metaverse can be an excellent environment for people to socialize and interact with other healthcare professionals and patients dealing with similar issues. Metaverse can be a healthy combination of two worlds, making lifestyle healthy.
The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.
