The Metaverse for Health Emergencies

Is it already possible to speak of a "mediverse," i.e., areas of medicine, such as virtual hospitals or interactive training spaces, transferred to a metaverse? Thanks to the immersive, interactive, multi-user environment, a richer future for medical training, new frontiers for operating theatres, safety for professionals, higher quality, precision, speed, and humanization of homecare could materialize in just a few years’ time. It is a path that will certainly o be built, which also involves medical training, without replacing it, but integrating it. The eleventh meeting of Programme Vagone FMD. From 01 to 100 in the Metaverse was dedicated to health care. Here are the main ideas that were discussed in Onelia Onorati’s summary.

WELCOME

Alfonso Molina, Scientific Directo, Fondazione Mondo Digitale - The metaverse has captured the imagination of people. We were born to spread digital technology in society, especially in two large areas: school and society. I believe that we could seize the opportunities linked to the metaverse, for example by involving schools in digital literacy actions for the most fragile sections of society. Investments in this area are on the rise. In 2022, McKinsey indicated 120 billion dollars, for 2030 the estimate is US$5 trillion. It is true that technology runs slower than our brain can imagine, however a new world is upon us, and it will soon be dominated by interactions between avatars or through multi-sensory environments that recreate reality in the fields of education and medicine, the two fields dominant in the metaverse. Here, at Binario F, we have hosted various appointments with stakeholders from different sectors and we have seen that the virtual world really attracts everyone! Today, we continue this reflection by discussing the possible future of the metaverse in healthcare.

Costanza Andreini, Public Policy Manager Italy, Meta - Meta has always had the goal of bringing people into digital spaces to create real connections. Technological changes of a physical nature, think about the transition to PCs and then to smartphones. They also had reverberations on relationships between people. This will certainly also happen with the metaverse, which doesn't exist today but will serve to improve everyday experience. One example is contact with our loved ones, even at a distance. We are here to understand its potential and provide tools for evaluating its usefulness and employment opportunities. 

INTRODUCTORY SESSION

Paolo Parente, Secretary Treasurer, Italian Society of Leadership and Management in Medicine (SIMM) and Medical Director, ASL Roma 1 - Let's begin a serious reflection on where the metaverse will go and on what its impact will be on the organization of services, on the ability to make them function and on the health professional itself. Awareness and knowledge are needed to build a multi-stakeholder platform, prone to change. We must also recall the role of the PNRR, which must respond to the needs of society, from the different allocation of resources between Northern and Southern Italy to technological challenges. We have given ourselves an ethical manifesto addressing the elements of rigor, respect and responsibility. Reforms, relationships and refinancing are the “3 Rs” necessary for health reform, also by developing public-private partnerships. Private law agencies and investors must join the debate as they are fundamental stakeholders.

Luca Carenzo, Member of the Board of Directors of the Italian Society of Simulation in Medicine (Simmed) and Doctor at the Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Irccs Humanitas Research Hospital in Rozzano (Milan) - The possibility of visiting a patient remotely through technology that enhances virtual experience is very fascinating. With Simmed, we believe in the maxim "never on the patient the first time!" We have gone far beyond the apprenticeship model that leads a resident to intervene without having first simulated the intervention. Among our activities, one of the main ones is that of training, also thanks to a large network of simulation centres. For example, Simmed Connect has compiled a collection of various clinical cases, which we would like to make interactive in the future and make available for study.

Gianluca Polegri, Director, Digital Solutions Division, Engineering - The metaverse ecosystems are the result of a mix of different technologies. Will it be the evolution of all digital services, or will it be a flop, as some detractors claim? We probably have to consider the metaverse as many immersive spaces and ecosystems from which “stand alone” experiences evolve. I think the best solution will be the progress of some of the elements that we already know in nature, without them being systems for reproducing a mirror reality. There will also be a lot of additions to be made, because the story of multiple metaverses can't go on for too long. The more the metaverse spreads, the more it will need to be standardized.

Giacomo Gensini, CEO, Nume Plus - We develop multiplayer simulations in an educational environment to be adapted to various needs. [The experience designed for the US military emergency medical intervention in the metaverse is projected].

Debora Angeletti, ASL Roma 1, Director, UOC Stic - Our aim, as a public agency, is always to provide a benefit for professionals and patients. We always start from the need and respond with a service; we never interpret technology as an end in itself. The data that will travel on these platforms must provide interoperability. Another fundamental issue is the legal ownership of platforms. We are moving towards national development consortia, in a logic of cooperation between public bodies and research bodies. [Avatar Beatrice is shown for medical bookings].

EXPERIENTIAL SESSION

The metaverse for simulation of activities in emergency contexts. With Lara Forgione, Coach,  Fondazione Mondo Digitale.

BRAINSTORMING SESSION

Ennio Tasciotti, Texas - There is the issue of privacy for clinical data and clinical cases.

Davide Del Brocco, Researcher, High School of Economics and Health Management, Catholic University - The issue for us is volunteering and training. So, we believe that in multi-emergency settings it would be important to be familiar with practices across applications such as the metaverse.

Claudia Ciriello, Active Citizenship - The metaverse is one of the goals we have set for ourselves, so I believe it is essential to organize widespread training in the medical field. In the health sector, it can be used as a tool to guarantee a new model of access to care. Indeed, it must be closer to the patient, but also to citizens, in the field of health prevention. We believe that it is necessary to start with telemedicine measures and adapt them increasingly better to reality, turning them into a system. However, we must not create inequality for internal areas of the country or between North and South. The critical issues to be assessed are the regulatory and the privacy aspects.

Paolina Saullo, PhD candidate, Advanced technologies in Surgery - It is important technology for training, for example for surgery residents. I don't know how comparable it is to actual practice, maybe we need to refine the tools and methods more as they may still be too gross. The metaverse in this phase is efficient for telemedicine practices, still insufficient for effective practice on virtual patients.

Carlo Favaretti, Assessment (Sitha) - Enormous potential, I share the concerns about privacy, but that is not an excuse to prevent its exploration.

Emanuela Frisical, Ministry of Health, Office 3 DGPREV - I am in favour of training with the metaverse but I am amazed and fascinated by the variety of services already present in all other sectors. Privacy issue remains strong.

Matteo Grillo, Social Media Marketing, Content Creation, Digital Marketing, Prosciutto San Daniele - We have developed our place in the metaverse with a platform that we are implementing, any contamination is welcome!

Andrea Mingoli, Director of the School of Specialization in General Surgery - Training problem: in five years, my postgraduates would have to perform 30,000 surgeries, so many, that it becomes impossible. It is necessary to form them in an alternative way, for example with the metaverse. Objective: to refine the tool.

Raffaella Abate, Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology and Health Studies of Sapienza University - I see important psychological implications, both positive and negative. In the field of psychology, it will be an important application despite its limitations. It will break barriers.

Roberto Triola, Head of the Digital Transformation Area, Farmindustria Study Centre - Issues related to privacy and evaluation of effectiveness are delicate topics. Not all technologies that will be developed will have the same effectiveness.

Flavia Beccia, Gemelli Specialist Doctor - In the clinical and public health fields, digitization allows us to make the healthcare system sustainable and this can guarantee treatment that has a real impact on the system.

Andrea Fontana, Project Management and Monitoring Officer, Red Cross - I believe we can reduce the digital divide, like transferring digital environments to those who are excluded.

Stefania Garivati, Officer Strategic Planning, Monitoring and Innovation, Red Cross - For the growth of our volunteers, preventive practice techniques for emergencies would be important.

CONCLUSIONS

Andrea Silenzi, Health Director, Ministry of Health - We are at a breaking point. Everything we have said about artificial intelligence in recent years can be carried over into the metaverse. From a health perspective, the metaverse can be disruptive on several levels and the ministry has produced guidelines to direct activity in the metaverse. The points for reflection concern:

• • Privacy alerts
• • Front office
• • Training
• • Healthcare processes