This summer, I came across a very interesting article about designing a new system that would blend the Metaverse concept and blockchain security and privacy to make telemedicine more secure and interactive.
Teleconsultations are common since COVID; it is estimated that 75% of all medical appointments are either unnecessary or could be done via teleconsultations (European Commission, 2023). The market of telemedicine is also fast-growing, with an estimated 24.68 % CAGR from 2025 to 2030 (Grandviewresearch, 2024).
However, the limits of telemedicine are complex to overcome. Some people like to see their doctors in person, and others do not trust their electronic devices to be secure enough to reveal their personal issues through a platform.
However, the first issue seems reasonable to overcome with the Metaverse. The VR consultations would take place in virtual consultation rooms that would feel and look similar to a typical doctor’s office. The issue that would come with this solution is the avatar-based medicine relationship. When the patient and his doctor meet in the metaverse, they would take the form of avatars. Future studies should explore how this impacts the relationship between them in terms of communication, empathy, and overall understanding. If the solution is a video call within a Metaverse, then it is far less revolutionary. Then, the blockchain solution will answer the second issue. Blockchain is today one of the most secure ways to transmit data, and while future users would need a certain level of digital education to understand how safe it is, blockchain technology is a solution for privacy and security (Sonkamble et al., 2025).
More than simply for teleconsultation, the Metaverse has been explored by medical field experts to answer multiple questions. An article from 2024 by Yue Wang explores many possible applications of the Metaverse in the healthcare sector. She comes up with five main solution areas, from medical training to surgical precision (Wang et al., 2024). What is certain is that AR and VR in the medium term and a Metaverse in the longer term will impact the health sector and revolutionize the way doctors and patients interact.
References
Sonkamble, R.G., Shirke-Deshmukh, S., Katkar, V., Lunagaria, M., Tejani, G.G. and Mousavirad, S.J. (2025). A blockchain secured metaverse framework for scalable and immersive telemedicine. Scientific Reports, [online] 15(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-12068-6.
Wang, Y., Zhu, M., Chen, X., Liu, R., Ge, J., Song, Y. and Yu, G. (2024). The application of metaverse in healthcare. Frontiers in Public Health, [online] 12. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1420367.
Grandviewresearch. (2024). Telehealth Market Size, Share, Trends | Industry Report 2030. [online] Available at: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/telehealth-market-report .
European Commission (2023). Market study on telemedicine. [online] Available at: https://health.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2019-08/2018_provision_marketstudy_telemedicine_en_0.pdf.
