And now we can beam doctors into your exam rooms.
Yes, holographic health is the new cutting-edge trend in medical care that has actually been deployed and may be coming to a hospital or clinic near you. Let’s take a deeper dive into this latest take on virtual healthcare.
The Future is Here
According to multiple news outlets, clinics across the country are beginning to integrate hologram doctors into their practices, “offering a futuristic solution to longstanding healthcare challenges.” One news source put it this way:
This innovative approach, once confined to the realm of science fiction, is now making headlines as a practical tool to address physician shortages, improve patient access and enhance medical consultations.
Now, we’ve all, by now, heard of telemedicine, where doctors are able to bill for evaluation and management (E/M) visits, for example, when they see patients virtually, using real-time audio/visual technology. That is, the doctor is communicating orally and visually with the patient on his/her tablet, and the patient is responding on her iPhone, let’s say, where she can also see, and be seen by, the doctor.
Well, holohealth (yes, I just now invented that term—patent, trademark, copywrite, if you please!) is just telehealth on steroids. It’s the next, logical step in virtual care. It’s as if the doctor is in the room with you. Of course, as with telehealth, the hologram version of Dr. Smith still can’t physically touch you as part of the examination. But, in every other way, patient and doctor are together.
And, yes, this is actually happening in the real world of medical practice already. A March 11 article in the Wall Street Journal revealed that a Tennessee health system is now using holograms for virtual doctor visits in rural communities. The article went on to state that “The system leverages technology previously popularized at rock concerts for dazzling visual effects, repurposing it to bridge the gap between patients and providers.
MobiHealthNews reported on September 26, 2024 that the West Cancer Center in Tennessee has partnered with Proto Hologram, an AI-enabled spatial computing company, to offer holographic doctor visits for oncology patients. The technology projects a 3D image of the physician into the exam room, creating an immersive experience that patients describe as remarkably lifelike. The center plans to expand its hologram capabilities, exploring applications in immersive training and enhanced patient interactions.
Meanwhile, according to posts on X from June 29, 2024, Dallas-based Crescent Regional Hospital is also adopting this technology, installing mini-hologram displays across its facilities and clinics to reduce doctors’ travel time. We’re talking about a system that projects life-sized holograms of doctors for real-time consultations, with the goal of maintaining high-quality care.
Necessity Is the Mother
The healthcare industry has long grappled with a shortage of medical professionals, particularly in rural and underserved areas. It is this crisis, in the estimation of some, that has spurred the adoption of hologram technology. This technology provides clear advantages that help alleviate the doctor shortage crisis. It allows physicians to interact with patients in real time, providing consultations without the need for physical travel. The technology promises to ease the burden on overworked healthcare systems by connecting patients with specialists who might otherwise be inaccessible.
To reiterate, the adoption of hologram doctors offers multiple advantages. By reducing the need for physicians to travel, clinics can optimize their schedules. This allows doctors to see more patients in less time. For patients, particularly those in rural or isolated regions, this means faster access to specialists without the expense and inconvenience of long-distance trips.
As technology advances, we may see holograms integrated with, or augmented by, AI, creating even more sophisticated tools for diagnosis and treatment. Despite its promise, the rollout of hologram doctors isn’t without its hurdles. High initial costs for equipment (e.g., Holobox or Proto Hologram systems) could limit adoption, particularly for smaller clinics. In addition, reliable high-speed internet is also a prerequisite, which remains a challenge in some rural areas—the very regions this technology is meant to serve.
Of course, the lure of this technology is hard to ignore. At West Cancer Center, where holohealth has been introduced, patients stated that they feel as though their doctor is physically present, thanks to the 3D projection’s realism. This could improve trust and communication, which are important elements of effective medical care, and could prove too tantalizing for clinics and hospitals to ignore.