The metaverse has made great leaps in gaming, advertising, culture, communication, and sports. This emerging technology is projected to have a pivotal role in medical tourism, a sector estimated to be worth $200 billion within the next three years.
Metaverse has been leveraged in the medical industry for years now. Some healthcare facilities, like the Thumbay Group in the United Arab Emirates, rely on the metaverse to expand their reach, offer personalized and on-demand medical attention, and cut down on medical costs for patients. Thumbay launched the first metaverse hospital two years ago.
According to a report from Omnia Health, a global medical equipment directory, medical tourism is the next field that the metaverse will transform.
Medical tourism is the practice of traveling to other countries to access treatment. Patients travel abroad for diverse reasons, from access to more quality healthcare to saving on costs.
Medical tourism was estimated to be worth $54.4 billion in 2020 and was rapidly expanding. However, COVID-19 hit and handed the industry a major blow. It has since recovered, and according to experts, the sector will be worth over $200 billion by 2027.
The industry faces several challenges, including poor patient experiences, high costs, and a lack of trust, according to a study by the Medical Tourism Association last year.
Before their travels, patients face hurdles such as inadequate communication and stressful travel arrangements. This is where the metaverse would impact the most, says the Omnia Health report.
Through the metaverse, patients can take virtual tours of the medical facilities, interact with the medical personnel and ask questions, preview the procedures, and more from the comfort of their houses. This allows them to make informed decisions on the facilities that best fit their needs.
Additionally, after the patients receive medical attention and return home, the doctors can follow up with them and offer post-operative care and rehabilitation services.
At the Thumbay Group facility in the United Arab Emirates, patients admitted to the hospital leverage the metaverse to connect with their families and friends back home.
The metaverse, once the hottest technology globally, has lost some of its appeal as shinier technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) have grabbed the headlines and the investment.
However, according to Michael Glijer, the real work and impact continue even after losing the spotlight. Glijer, the CEO of the fan engagement platform Zetly, told CoinGeek that no technology can replace the unique value of the metaverse and digital twins.
“They’re not just a quick trend; they’re important for how we experience technology in the future,” he stated in a recent interview.
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