Effects of Metaverse in the Health Industry

The concept of the metaverse, which has been heard in practically every discipline and is preparing the technological era for a new evolution, has become one of the most heavily invested regions today. We’re talking about a technology on which tech behemoths have spent billions of dollars, causing companies like Facebook to rebrand and continue as Meta months ago. We can see how this concept has taken hold in a variety of fields, from cryptocurrencies to the gaming industry, from education to military technology. All the sectors we’ve listed are led by the health industry. Like other sectors, the health sector, in which billions of dollars are invested each year around the world, is increasingly affected by technology advancements. Especially with the help of artificial intelligence and augmented reality technologies, which are the most invested fields of recent times, a high rate of success has been obtained in disease detection and medical teaching. According to research, a hospital generates 50 petabytes of data every year on average, but 97 percent of that data is never used. Artificial intelligence algorithms can also help in the development of novel diagnostic and treatment approaches by converting unused data into useful formats and analyzing it. Everyone in the healthcare profession, from specialists to first responders, will employ artificial intelligence technology in the future, according to Eric Topol’s essay in the journal “Nature Medicine.”

The health industry, which is already significantly influenced by modern technology such as artificial intelligence, will undoubtedly be influenced by the concept of metaverse. So, how does this concept, which we refer to as the metaverse and which we define as a new internet era, affect the healthcare industry? Medical students will be able to obtain more effective teaching thanks to Metaverse, and various surgeries will be performed without being physically present in the environment thanks to 5G technology. A doctor in Istanbul, for example, will be able to operate on a patient in Tokyo without having to travel there. Distances are eliminated with the surgeries to be performed utilizing the 5G connection, due to the delay-free image transfer. Surgeons can better watch procedures and share interactive information thanks to this technology, and it has made a significant contribution to surgical training. It will be feasible to meet with doctors without going to the hospital using such technology in situations and disorders that do not require physical control. Through Metaverse, healthcare providers will be able to detect and treat diseases like Covid-19 that are at danger of transmission in a risk-free manner. Cadaver and case practice inadequacies, which are one of the most serious issues in medical education, can be addressed with Metaverse’s virtual world contribution. Students will able to get professional experience in the virtual world by participating in scenarios that will be set up in Metaverse under the supervision of their lecturers.

Dr. Mürsel Haspulat, a pediatric surgeon, and medical student Funda Karagöz created virtual patients and operated remotely in recent months. The Turkish doctor and medical student’s outstanding achievement is the first of its kind in the globe. Their goal is to reduce medical errors while also improving the quality of medical education. It is sufficient to have an internet connection, specific glasses, and a program to operate the virtual patient. Metaverse will pave the way for a new age in health care with the help of such technology. As a result, health-care expenditures will be decreased, and medical students will be able to work with hologram patients instead of cadavers.