The Metaverse and Healthcare/ Medicine:
Since 2021, the concept of the metaverse has been widely discussed. It refers to the internet accessed via virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) glasses, and is considered to be the next-generation mobile computing platform that will be widely used in the future.
Professor Chunxue Bai and colleagues have recently proposed the metaverse in medicine, and suggested naming 2022 as the “Year of the Metaverse in Medicine”. Their expert group further discussed the definition of the metaverse in the medical context, and its concept and application scenarios, as well as its clinical importance. It is expected that this new concept will contribute to improving comprehensive healthcare as well as prevention and treatment of diseases, and to upgrading the current diagnosis and treatment model – which varies widely between doctors and hospitals, creating uneven standards akin to production in handicraft workshops (referred to as the “handicraft workshop model”) – to a modern high quality “ six sigma” model that consistently delivers high standards.
Three areas in which the metaverse is likely to gain dominance in the healthcare industry are : Surgical operations, mental health and medical education and training.
The UN General Assembly’s 2015 resolution regarding “ good health and well-being” will be realised most likely with leveraging the Metaverse. The SDG Goal 3 aims to achieve universal health coverage, that seeks equitable access of healthcare services to all men and women. It proposes to end the preventable death of newborns, infants and children under five and end epidemics.
The potential of the Metaverse in healthcare/ medicine is now well appreciated, but it may take another decade for it being used actively in the hospitals or medical practices. However practical implementation is already happening. The link at number 5 below describes a product that was shown at Dubai in January 2022.
Louis Pasteur, pioneer of the “ germ theory of disease” had said that “ fortune favours the prepared mind”. Let’s get fortunate with the Metaverse.
A few carefully chosen links for further information:
1: Expert consensus on metaverse in medicine : https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2588914122000016
2: Metaverse: the next frontier in healthcare: https://www.informationweek.com/big-data/metaverse-the-next-frontier-in-healthcare-
3: What role is the Metaverse playing in reshaping the health sector? https://gulfbusiness.com/what-role-is-metaverse-playing-in-reshaping-the-healthcare-sector/
4: Metaverse in healthcare: the future is now : https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/health-it/metaverse-in-healthcare-the-future-is-now/90758113
5: Health City: a medical Metaverse : https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/107310/Health-City-Aimedis-Publishes-HealthMetaverse-and-Will-Soon-Open-the-First-Clinic-In-It
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About mmpant
Prof. M.M.Pant has a Ph.D in Computational Physics, along with a Professional Law Degree, and has been a practitioner in the fields of Law, IT enabled education and IT implementation.
Drawing upon his experience in world class international institutions and having taught in various modes of Face-to-Face, Distance Learning and Technology Enhanced Training, Prof. Pant is now exploring the nature of institutions which will be successors to the IITs, which represented the 1960s, IIMs, which represented the 1970 and Open Universities which were the rage of 1980s & 90s.
He believes that the convergence between various media and technologies would fundamentally alter the way learning would be created, packaged, and delivered to learners. His current activities are all directed toward actual implementation of these new age educational initiatives that transform education in the post Internet post WTO era..
Prof. Pant, has been a Former Pro-Vice Chancellor, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and has been on the faculty of IIT – Kanpur (the premier Engineering institution in India), MLNR Engineering College and Faculty & Visiting Professor - University of Western Ontario-Canada.
He has been visiting scientist to research centers in Italy, England, Germany & Sweden and has delivered international lectures with about 80 papers published.
During his association of almost 15 years with the IGNOU, Prof. Pant has served as the Director Computing and has been the Member of All Bodies (i.e. School boards, Academic council, Planning board, Finance committee and the Board of management).
With his interest in Law, backed with practice of Law in a High Court, and his basic training in Science and IT, Prof. Pant has been particularly interested in the Cyber Law, Patent & trade mark issues, Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) issues etc. and has been involved with many activities, conferences on “Law & IT”
Prof. Pant is presently;
• Advisor to Media Lab Asia - Chairman of working group on ICT for Education, chairman of PRSG handling projects on ICT for education.
• Lead Consultant for an ADB funded project for ICT in Basic Education in Uzbekistan
• Member of the drafting Group for India’s National Policy on ICT in education
• Chairman of the group creating books for class 11 and 12 students on ‘Computers and Communication Technology’ appointed by the NCERT
• Preparing a ‘Theme Paper” for the NCTE in the area of ICT and Teacher Training
• Advisor and mentor to several leading Indian and Multi-national Companies in the area of education.
Prof. Pant has in the recent past been ;
• Member – Board of Management – I I T, Delhi for 6 years (two consecutive terms)
• One-man committee to create the Project Report & Legislation for Delhi IT-enabled Open University
• Advisor to the Delhi Government on Asian Network of Major Cities Project (ANMC-21) distance learning project in association with Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
• Chairman Board of Studies, All India Management Association
With his mission to create and implement new business opportunities in the area of e-learning & learning facilitation, Prof. Pant has promoted Planet EDU Pvt. Ltd., as its Founder & Chairman, along with a team of highly experienced and skilled professionals from Education & Training, Operations, IT and Finance.
