Abstract
AbstractThis paper aims to understand the value-added services that the future 6G-enabled metaverse can and will bring to hospitals. This is important since most studies on 6G and the metaverse are heavily driven by technological solutions. Adopting a qualitative research approach, this paper collects experts’ opinions on the usage scenarios of the 6G-enabled metaverse in hospitals. Six use cases within hospital contexts have been identified from open-ended interviews. The analysis of each case reveals that 6G, as a general-purpose technology, offers the necessary capabilities to support the development of the metaverse in hospitals. The metaverse-enabled services are expected to design future smart hospitals and improve work processes and resource allocation in hospitals, while also promoting preventive healthcare and training and enhancing the quality of care in emergency, treatment, and rehabilitation. Consequently, the development of both metaverse and 6G will progress in tandem, hand in hand, offering local services in hospitals. From a value perspective, this paper contributes to the development of the 6G and metaverse in the hospital vertical by understanding the needs, capabilities, and key values of the future 6G-enabled hospital metaverse.
Publisher
Springer Nature Switzerland