Objectives, Outcomes, and Obstacles of Using Metaverse in the Field of Telemedicine: A Systematic Review

Today, we can benefit from the capabilities provided by Metaverse in the methods of providing healthcare services, especially telemedicine. This requires an early assessment of the potential benefits and challenges of Metaverse in the field of telemedicine before clinical adoption is realized. The purpose of this research is to identify the goals, consequences, and obstacles of using Metaverse in telemedicine.

In this systematic review, we searched the articles published in online databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) until June 2024 (without time limitation) using relevant keywords ("Metaverse" and "Telemedicine") in English. Exclusion criteria included articles that did not focus on this topic.

Of all the articles included in the study, most of the studies (75%) were conducted in 2023, and South Korea accounted for the highest number of studies (25%) in this field. The main capabilities and consequences of using Metaverse in telemedicine included increasing access to healthcare services, increasing the level of security, creating a sense of confidence for users, reducing costs, and managing time. Risks related to security and confidentiality, required technologies, knowledge of use, and cost are also challenges and obstacles to implementing Metaverse in telemedicine.

Metaverse is a suitable platform for telemedicine that provides access to medical and scientific information. Despite the advantages and positive consequences of this platform in providing fast and quality medical services, which causes widespread attention, there are challenges in its implementation that need to be solved by necessary measures.