A Survey on Blockchain and the Metaverse in Healthcare: Opportunities, Challenges, and Emerging Trends

Abstract

This chapter explores the transformative potential of Blockchain technology and the Metaverse in revolutionizing healthcare. Blockchain's decentralized, secure, and transparent framework addresses critical healthcare challenges, such as data privacy, security, and patient management. The Metaverse, with its immersive virtual environments, enhances patient engagement, telemedicine, and remote healthcare delivery. The convergence of these technologies offers innovative solutions, including secure data sharing, self-sovereign identity (SSI), virtual consultations, and decentralized clinical research. Key use cases, such as digital therapeutics, smart contracts, and interoperability, are discussed along with their implications for improving healthcare efficiency, trust, and transparency. This chapter concludes with a vision for the future of virtual healthcare, emphasizing the need for further research to overcome barriers and fully harness the potential of Blockchain and the Metaverse in shaping the future of global healthcare.