Technology is advancing swiftly and revolutionizing human interactions. Since the Facebook transformation to incorporate advanced VR technologies, known as the metaverse, into the social media platform, healthcare stakeholders are also considering infusing VR into patient care, effectively combining virtual care into medical care. No doubt, this represents a new frontier in patient care, and one that could see potentially eliminate barriers to access to care, thereby, improving outcomes for patients and their providers. 

Telemedicine no doubt has become a catalyst for improved patient outcomes and healthcare cost savings, but there are still factors that preclude its optimal use by patients. Healthcare providers and tech vendors need to understand how medical travel patients want digitalized patient care delivered to create models they can easily engage with. With these barriers addressed, telemedicine can reach its potential as a lever for achieving equitable distribution of healthcare resources and, in turn, a better healthcare experience.

The world’s first metaverse hospital is set to be launched by the Thumbay Group in UAE this October to further blur the boundaries of access to healthcare around the world. 

Telemedicine has proven to be an effective and safe platform for doctors to reach patients during this global crisis, with the potential to ramp up diagnostic and treatment services as the world battles with the pandemic