The Concept of Health-Verse

Introduction: 

You’ve probably heard the term “metaverse” a lot this year. It is a one-of-a-kind platform where individuals can engage with virtual worlds using dome-digital tools. But don’t confuse it with the Multiverse theory. Some may believe that the Metaverse is only related to art or that gaming has nothing to do with healthcare. Is it, however, entirely true? Let’s get started with this article.

The basics of Metaverse:

Facebook’s background approach says,” Connection is evolving, and so are we.”  It is also the driving force behind the creation of the Metaverse concept. According to Mark Zuckerberg, this concept is the next step in the evolution of socially connecting. The idea is that 3D spaces in the Metaverse will allow people to socialize, learn, collaborate, and play in ways that are beyond their wildest dreams. The design raises some questions, such as whether it represents the future of the internet, a video game, or a more uncomfortable version of zoom. Right now, it’s difficult to say. On the other hand, there is a lot of marketing hype surrounding the concept of Metaverse. 

Simplifying the complex concept of Metaverse, the term does not usually refer to a specific technology but rather to a broad shift in how we interact with technology. Metaverse is made up of technologies such as virtual reality and augmented reality. Many other technologies, such as aspects of Fortnite that run via PCs, the digital economy, etc can be classified as Metaverse. 

It may also enable you to create a persona that you can take with you wherever you go, similar to how one can copy the profile picture from one social network to another. 

It’s all too easy to draw parallels between proto-Metaverse concepts and the early internet and assume that everything will fall into place, which is far from the case. We don’t know if VR and AR technology will ever become as common as smartphones and computers.

It’s possible that any true “metaverse” would consist of nothing more than some cool VR games and digital avatars in Zoom calls, but most of what we still refer to as the internet. Nobody is aware of the correct answer to its future.

Can Metaverse and Healthcare go Hand in Hand: 

Bringing healthcare to the metaverse is the most exciting ecosystem of this Concept. How? It will be similar to visiting a doctor and describing your problem, where the doctor prescribes you the required medicine or treatment plan according to the data provided by the patient. All will be the same, just that it will be virtual. You will visit an entirely virtual doctor. It will be a precise, data-based projection of the doctor. 

In this concept, Healthcare will be personalized and easily accessible. No subjective questions like “how do you feel?” Or “what’s the issue?” The doctors will be asking for consent to access different layers of data to gain insight into patients’ health. A 3D image of internal organs will generate, and then they will be able to check our throat, lung, heart, etc, and diagnosis will be easy. 

Hence, you will be able to meet your doctor in a place that you prefer and will be able to choose the personality or gender of your doctor so you can feel as comfortable as possible. 

When it comes to funding, we are seeing early signs of investment and innovation. The investors of 2021 invested $198 million for a U.S. digital health startup integrating VR or AR technologies across 11 transactions, more than doubling the $93 million raised across eight transactions in 2020. However, the 2021 investment was 1% less than the total digital health funding for the year, highlighting the sector’s infancy with metaverse technologies. 

A wide range of possibilities for healthcare in Metaverse can be presented; however, for the time being, let us only focus on the two most common types of Metaverse applications in the field of healthcare:

1. Immersive environments: Let’s begin by immersive mediums digitally arbitrate learning environments designed to immerse users in an artificially created “world.” These environments can be virtual and accessed through VR or a hybrid of digital and real-world by AR or holograms. Nowadays, these environments in healthcare serve three functions: educational, assistive, and therapeutic. To summarise, educational purposes can include concepts such as the digital medical library. Assistive purposes include assisting clinicians or medical practitioners in their procedures. Therapeutic purposes include care interventions such as virtual spaces to address phobias or PTSD. As a result, an immersive environment plays a role in healthcare.

2. Digital Twin:  Digital twins, on the other hand, represent real-world entities such as patient populations or organs that exist in a virtual world and can be manipulated to gather insights for healthcare decision-making and are being created in digital health metaverse startups. Their job may include stimulating a patient’s organ for a doctor and analyzing how that organ will react to different medications or procedures. In general, these digital twins can simulate how specific populations may act to disease outbreaks or new drugs, paving the way for clinical trials or vaccine trials in Metaverse.

As a result, these are some of Metavese’s digital healthcare applications. But, in practice, are these applications as beneficial to healthcare as they appear in theory? After all, everything has its advantages and disadvantages. 

Metaverse can positively shape the future of healthcare with immersive environments, digital twins, VR in medical training, AR in surgical procedures, Gamification to connect, and bring healthcare providers and consumers together. Interoperability, its use in various clinical and vaccine trials that can be helpful during virus outbreaks like the Covid-19 outbreak, and so on.

On the other hand, some are criticizing this new world concept. Medicine has traditionally been a person-to-person relationship. Patients confide in a doctor, who will study symptoms using a variety of signals, including emotional responses, physical reactions, and, yes, data. Interoperability is a buzzword in digital healthcare, as there is an increasing need for all providers and stakeholders to share portable and compatible data across systems, institutions, platforms, and countries. The threat of cyber attacks is also a hot topic in all digital platforms, and businesses are well aware of the risks and difficulties in maintaining an unhackable system. Other issues include the development of new norms and customs that can erode existing human behaviours in the real world and affect behaviours and relationships that point through interaction with the natural environment. Some of the questions arise- Is it necessary to have a shared virtual space? Is it capable of enhancing human relationships? 

Future Prospects of the Health Verse:

On the one hand, we are excited about Metaverse’s potential to alleviate the burden on patients’ real lives, whether through therapeutic environments or by stimulating possibilities before making care decisions. It is also critical to consider how these solutions might deepen connections in virtual communities, break down isolation barriers for seniors and people with disabilities, and make it easier to participate in clinical trials. 

So, for the time being, Metaverse remains a brave new world concept for healthcare development, and we are only at the beginning. So, let us wait and see what Metaverse has in store for healthcare innovation over time and whether it will prove to be as transformative as it sounds in theory.

Conclusion & Take-Home Message:

We are aware that the element of fun may be the powerful aspect of the metaverse. To be effective, healthcare must provide a completely new experience, particularly in terms of prevention. As a result, the metaverse may see an increase in the number of people coming in for checkups and screenings as they become more convenient and enjoyable. 

To summarise, Metaverse is an emerging concept that will bring many new dimensions as the big social players combine different aspects of virtual reality and immersive experiences. For the healthcare sector, which has largely remained traditional, it will be a great tool to learn, empower, and provide blissful experiences to patients and providers.

When it comes to a sensitive topic like healthcare, one should be fully aware of every aspect of the Metaverse. Risks are permitted, but not to the extent that they jeopardize effective healthcare and the health of patients. 

Finally, technologies and concepts will undoubtedly evolve, as will every sector, but not at the expense of one’s life.

References:

• https://rockhealth.com/insights/digital-health-enters-the-metaverse/
• https://aboutdigitalhealth.com/2022/01/27/health-in-the-metaverse/
• https://www.taliun.com/p/rise-of-metaverse-in-healthcare
• https://www.mddionline.com/digital-health/blockchain-metaverse-and-medtech
• https://healthmanagement.org/c/it/post/is-there-a-place-for-healthcare-in-the-metaverse
• https://tech.fb.com/connect-2021-our-vision-for-the-metaverse/
• https://about.facebook.com/meta/
• https://www.wired.com/story/what-is-the-metaverse/
• https://about.facebook.com/meta/
• https://venturebeat.com/2021/12/28/future-augmented-reality-will-inherit-the-earth/
• https://www.wired.com/story/john-hanke-niantic-augmented-reality-real-metaverse/
• https://www.konsyse.com/articles/pros-and-cons-of-the-metaverse/