The next generation of healthcare ecosystem in the metaverse

The Metaverse has gained wide attention for being the application interface for the next generation of Internet. The potential of the Metaverse is growing, as Web 3·0 development and adoption continues to advance medicine and healthcare. We define the next generation of interoperable healthcare ecosystem in the Metaverse. We examine the existing literature regarding the Metaverse, explain the technology framework to deliver an immersive experience, along with a technical comparison of legacy and novel Metaverse platforms that are publicly released and in active use. The potential applications of different features of the Metaverse, including avatar-based meetings, immersive simulations, and social interactions are examined with different roles from patients to healthcare providers and healthcare organizations. Present challenges in the development of the Metaverse healthcare ecosystem are discussed, along with potential solutions including capabilities requiring technological innovation, use cases requiring regulatory supervision, and sound governance. This proposed concept and framework of the Metaverse could potentially redefine the traditional healthcare system and enhance digital transformation in healthcare. Similar to AI technology at the beginning of this decade, real-world development and implementation of these capabilities are relatively nascent. Further pragmatic research is needed for the development of an interoperable healthcare ecosystem in the Metaverse.