With the help of technological changes, education and markets have begun to adopt trends that enhance their reach. One of these recently incorporated tools is known as the Metaverse, which broadly speaking, It is used to place someone in an environment in which it is not actually.
How? Very simple! Through online platforms and the implementation of appropriate equipment, i.e. speakers, microphones, and even virtual reality glasses. Of course, there are many other technological accessories.
This evolution has reached all types of activities, and the health field is no exception, since the Metaverse is generating an evolution in medicine, not only in university education, but also in the practice of this profession.
The Metaverse to improve patient care
Virtual and remote medical consultations
One of the advantages that the Metaverse offers is remote medical consultations, this is possible thanks to the construction of immersive and realistic environments with the help of virtual platforms.
In this way, patients can interact with their doctors through avatars, so communication and diagnosis can be carried out in the same way as in a face-to-face consultation.
This alternative represents a benefit for patients with mobility difficulties or who live in remote areas. It could also be useful for doctors, since remote consultations make it possible to cover other cities or states.
Psychological therapy and support
For psychological treatments, it is possible to build virtual environments that make patients feel safe, just like a doctor’s office. The metaverse, in addition to offering effective communication between the patient and the therapist, provides the possibility of accessing support groups remotely.
The latter can be a very supportive alternative for people to reduce discomforts such as anxiety, stress and isolation.
Rehabilitation and physiotherapy
One of the trends in medicine that the Metaverse is developing is Rehabilitation in virtual environmentsoffering patients a personalized and complete experienceThis is achieved when the physiotherapist uses images and digital environments to address a person’s particular needs.
Among the benefits of using these tools in the physiotherapy the following are found:
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Improves mobility.
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Reduces pain.
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Helps rehabilitated people to focus.
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It is useful for patient coordination.
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It increases motivation by being an attractive tool.
The Metaverse in medical research
Advances in technology do not only cover the application of treatments, they also contribute to their improvement and the generation of knowledge through medical research.
Thus, the Metaverse can be used as an instrument for the representation of diseases, parts of the organism and biological systems, through the creation of three-dimensional models, allowing researchers to enhance the study of complex diseases and develop new treatments.
As if that were not enough, technology minimizes the time of an investigation, since it offers the option of analyze big data generated in the Metaverse, which can contribute to the identification of patterns and trends, and therefore, produce important medical advances.
Challenges and ethical considerations
Privacy and data security
While the scope of these trends in the healthcare sector is promising, the reality is that they must take into account the most basic medical principles, such as patient privacy.
Medical or psychological treatment requires people to share sensitive information with doctors, so protecting it is crucial when implementing the metaverse in this profession.
To do this, you must establish protocols and regulations required to ensure responsible handling of the information shared in a consultation.
Mental well-being and addiction potential
Virtual interaction is an individual experience, so some of the emotional discomforts and deficiencies could be reflected in the behavior of users when using these tools.
So much so, that there is a possibility of developing an addiction to the use of the Metaverse. This happens due to the stimuli it causes and the release of substances such as dopamine, which are widely related to dependent behaviors.
To prevent this problem, it is important to establish guidelines for responsible use, as well as the development of strategies to prevent this type of attachment.
Medical research and innovation are extremely interesting professions. If you want to know more, we invite you to learn about the different careers we offer in the academic division of Health Sciences, noted for its humanistic training and oriented towards creating leaders for the future. At Anáhuac Querétaro we have what you need to be part of the future of medicine!
