{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,29]],"date-time":"2026-08-29T15:17:49Z","timestamp":1788016669676,"version":"build-2784847793"},"reference-count":49,"publisher":"Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)","content-domain":{"domain":["lww.com","ovid.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":[],"abstract":"Abstract<\/jats:title>\n \n Background:<\/jats:title>\n The rapid emergence of the metaverse, defined as an integrated and persistent three-dimensional virtual ecosystem that incorporates immersive enabling technologies such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR) alongside artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, and the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), is redefining opportunities in healthcare provision, medical education, and patient engagement. Extending beyond telemedicine, it offers transformative potential for personalized, equitable, and sustainable medical services. This scoping review synthesizes current evidence on applications, benefits, barriers, and strategies for integrating immersive technologies into healthcare.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Methods:<\/jats:title>\n Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 guidelines, a comprehensive search was conducted in June 2024 across PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest, and DOAJ using Medical Subject Headings, Embase Tree terms, and free-text keywords, combined with Boolean operators and manual reference checks. Eligible publications included empirical studies, systematic and scoping reviews, meta-analyses, conceptual frameworks, and implementation reports, published from 1994 onward in English. Two reviewers independently screened titles, abstracts, and full texts. Data were extracted using a structured form and thematically synthesized to map applications, benefits, and implementation barriers of metaverse technologies in healthcare.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results:<\/jats:title>\n From 3,542 records, 50 studies met the inclusion criteria. Evidence indicates that metaverse technologies can enhance healthcare provision via immersive telepresence consultations, AI-driven decision support, blockchain-enabled secure data handling, and integration with wearable devices. In education, VR, AR, and MR improved anatomical comprehension, procedural accuracy, clinical reasoning, and learner confidence. In patient care and rehabilitation, immersive tools reduced pain, enhanced neurorehabilitation and post-stroke recovery, lowered pre-operative anxiety, and improved chronic disease management and geriatric wellbeing. Barriers to adoption included high infrastructure costs, interoperability gaps, unequal technology access, and ethical issues concerning privacy, consent, and equity. Proposed solutions emphasized open technical standards, infrastructure investment, culturally adaptive design, and integration within hybrid care models.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusions:<\/jats:title>\n The metaverse is moving from conceptual innovation to practical application, showing measurable value across healthcare delivery, education, and patient care. Sustainable, equitable integration will depend on overcoming technical, economic, and ethical challenges while embedding immersive technologies into existing health systems to complement, rather than replace, physical care.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.4103\/ijpvm.ijpvm_335_25","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,29]],"date-time":"2026-08-29T15:00:13Z","timestamp":1788015613000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1097\/lww.0000000000001000","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Metaverse and Immersive Technologies: Redefining the Future of Healthcare: A Scoping Review"],"prefix":"10.4103","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Mohamadreza","family":"Maleki","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health Services Management, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hassan Reyhani","family":"Khouzani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health Services Management, School of Health Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ali","family":"Zackery","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Industrial Engineering and Futures Studies, Faculty of Engineering, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran c Health Management and Economics Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Salime","family":"Ghoharinejhad","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Preventive Medicine and Public Health Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hamzeh","family":"Zarei","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health in Disasters and Emergencies, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (MUI), Isfahan, Iran"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"276","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7]]},"reference":[{"key":"R1-20260829","first-page":"129","article-title":"Metaverse in conjunction with telemedicine: A review of trends","author":"Dehkhodaei","year":"2024","journal-title":"Int J Metaverse Virtual Transform"},{"key":"R2-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"100917","DOI":"10.1016\/j.imr.2022.100917","article-title":"The digital metaverse: Applications in artificial intelligence, medical education, and integrative health","volume":"12","author":"Ahuja","year":"2023","journal-title":"Integr Med Res"},{"key":"R3-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ceh.2022.02.001","article-title":"Expert consensus on the metaverse in medicine","volume":"5","author":"Yang","year":"2022","journal-title":"Clin eHealth"},{"issue":"(Suppl B)","key":"R4-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"B104","DOI":"10.1093\/eurheartjsupp\/suad083","article-title":"The metaverse in medicine","volume":"25","author":"Massetti","year":"2023","journal-title":"Eur Heart J Suppl"},{"key":"R5-20260829","first-page":"103","article-title":"Applications of the metaverse in medicine and healthcare","author":"Mittal","year":"2024","journal-title":"Metaverse Driven Intelligent Information Systems: Emerging Trends and Future Directions: Springer"},{"key":"R6-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"865","DOI":"10.1093\/ndt\/gfae281","article-title":"Exploring the metaverse: Opportunities for nephrology in patient care and education","volume":"40","author":"Zoccali","year":"2025","journal-title":"Nephrol Dial Transplant"},{"key":"R7-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"25","DOI":"10.22381\/ajmr9220222","article-title":"Metaverse healthcare data, smart wearable sensing systems, and immersive 3D experiences in virtual diagnostic environments","volume":"9","author":"Pera","year":"2022","journal-title":"Am J Med Res"},{"key":"R8-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"39","DOI":"10.22381\/ajmr11120243","article-title":"Wearable patient monitoring and metaverse-enabled healthcare systems, immersive medical simulation and remote care technologies, and deep learning disease prediction and diagnosis algorithms for artificial intelligence-powered individualized","volume":"11","year":"2024","journal-title":"Am J Med Res"},{"key":"R11-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"565","DOI":"10.3390\/s23020565","article-title":"Metaverse in healthcare integrated with explainable AI and blockchain: Enabling immersiveness, ensuring trust, and providing patient data security","volume":"23","author":"Ali","year":"2023","journal-title":"Sensors"},{"key":"R12-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2456","DOI":"10.1038\/s41591-022-02038-0","article-title":"Medical education in the metaverse","volume":"28","author":"Sandrone","year":"2022","journal-title":"Nat Med"},{"key":"R13-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"107444","DOI":"10.1016\/j.oraloncology.2025.107444","article-title":"Exploring the impact of virtual reality on education, surgical planning, and interdisciplinary collaboration for clinicians in head and neck oncology","volume":"167","author":"Dubray-Vautrin","year":"2025","journal-title":"Oral Oncol"},{"key":"R14-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"514","DOI":"10.1002\/ase.2397","article-title":"Immersive virtual reality and augmented reality in anatomy education: A systematic review and Meta\u2010Analysis","volume":"17","author":"Garc\u00eda\u2010Robles","year":"2024","journal-title":"Anat Sci Educ"},{"key":"R15-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"549","DOI":"10.1002\/ase.1696","article-title":"The effectiveness of virtual and augmented reality in health sciences and medical anatomy","volume":"10","author":"Moro","year":"2017","journal-title":"Anat Sci Educ"},{"key":"R16-20260829","first-page":"e36927","article-title":"Augmented reality in medical education: A mixed methods feasibility study","volume":"15","author":"George","year":"2023","journal-title":"Cureus"},{"key":"R17-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"88","DOI":"10.1016\/j.surg.2021.01.051","article-title":"Validity and effectiveness of augmented reality in surgical education: A systematic review","volume":"170","author":"Kovoor","year":"2021","journal-title":"Surgery"},{"key":"R18-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"E73","DOI":"10.1097\/NNE.0000000000001327","article-title":"The use of metaverse in nursing education: An umbrella review","volume":"48","author":"De Gagne","year":"2023","journal-title":"Nurse Educ"},{"key":"R19-20260829","first-page":"409","article-title":"Impact of mixed reality (MR) technologies on nursing education: A systematic review","volume":"323","author":"Evgenikos","year":"2025","journal-title":"Stud Health Technol Inform"},{"key":"R20-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"75","DOI":"10.1016\/j.auec.2022.08.002","article-title":"A scoping review of metaverse in emergency medicine","volume":"26","author":"Wu","year":"2023","journal-title":"Australasian Emerg Care"},{"key":"R21-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1333","DOI":"10.3390\/diagnostics14131333","article-title":"Exploring augmented reality integration in diagnostic imaging: Myth or reality?","volume":"14","author":"Lastrucci","year":"2024","journal-title":"Diagnostics"},{"key":"R22-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e34402","DOI":"10.2196\/34402","article-title":"Virtual reality applications in chronic pain management: Systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"10","author":"Goudman","year":"2022","journal-title":"JMIR Serious Games"},{"key":"R23-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"175","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-031-63604-2_9","article-title":"Virtual reality in neurorehabilitation: Is it time to go beyond research?","author":"Maggio","year":"2024","journal-title":"Translational Neurorehabilitation: Brain, Behavior and Technology. Springer"},{"key":"R24-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"93","DOI":"10.1186\/s12984-022-01071-x","article-title":"Examining the effectiveness of virtual, augmented, and mixed reality (VAMR) therapy for upper limb recovery and activities of daily living in stroke patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"19","author":"Leong","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Neuroeng Rehabil"},{"key":"R25-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2745","DOI":"10.3390\/s24092745","article-title":"Study of the possibility of using virtual reality application in rehabilitation among elderly post-stroke patients","volume":"24","author":"Matys-Popielska","year":"2024","journal-title":"Sensors"},{"key":"R26-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"327","DOI":"10.1186\/s13018-025-05690-7","article-title":"Virtual and augmented reality for anxiety reduction in orthopedic patients and providers: A systematic review","volume":"20","author":"Namazi","year":"2025","journal-title":"J Orthop Surg Res"},{"key":"R27-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4021","DOI":"10.3390\/app15074021","article-title":"Mixed reality in therapeutic education for diabetes: Grayscale and color passthrough compared with augmented reality and traditional methods","volume":"15","author":"Calle","year":"2025","journal-title":"Appl Sci"},{"key":"R28-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"104378","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijnurstu.2022.104378","article-title":"Effects of virtual reality-based interventions on the physical and mental health of older residents in long-term care facilities: A systematic review","volume":"136","author":"Li","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int J Nurs Stud"},{"key":"R29-20260829","first-page":"e80742","article-title":"How the metaverse is shaping the future of healthcare communication: A tool for enhancement or a barrier to effective interaction?","volume":"17","author":"Burlacu","year":"2025","journal-title":"Cureus"},{"key":"R30-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1030574","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2022.1030574","article-title":"Harnessing public health with \"metaverse\" technology","volume":"10","author":"Bhattacharya","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front Public Health"},{"key":"R31-20260829","first-page":"e43549","article-title":"The metaverse, the built environment, and public health: Opportunities and uncertainties","volume":"25","author":"Koohsari","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Med Int Res"},{"key":"R32-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"69686","DOI":"10.1109\/ACCESS.2023.3286696","article-title":"Exploring the potential of metaverse technology in healthcare: Applications, challenges, and future directions","volume":"11","author":"Ullah","year":"2023","journal-title":"IEEE Access"},{"key":"R33-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e70100","DOI":"10.1002\/hsr2.70100","article-title":"Metaverse and its impact on medical education and health care system: A narrative review","volume":"7","author":"Ghaempanah","year":"2024","journal-title":"Health Sci Rep"},{"key":"R34-20260829","first-page":"791","article-title":"A revolution in health: Opportunities and challenges of the metaverse","volume":"21","author":"Marzaleh","year":"2022","journal-title":"Excli J"},{"key":"R35-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2424450","DOI":"10.1080\/07853890.2024.2424450","article-title":"Metaverse-based simulation: A scoping review of charting medical education over the last two decades in the lens of the 'marvelous medical education machine'","volume":"56","author":"Popov","year":"2024","journal-title":"Ann Med"},{"key":"R36-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"12765","DOI":"10.1109\/ACCESS.2023.3241628","article-title":"Metaverse for healthcare: A survey on potential applications, challenges and future directions","volume":"11","author":"Chengoden","year":"2023","journal-title":"IEEE Access"},{"key":"R38-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"n71","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.n71","article-title":"The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews","volume":"372","author":"Page","year":"2021","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"key":"R39-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"129","DOI":"10.1016\/j.dsm.2023.12.003","article-title":"Topic prevalence and trends of Metaverse in healthcare: A bibliometric analysis","volume":"7","author":"Wu","year":"2024","journal-title":"Data Sci Manag"},{"key":"R40-20260829","article-title":"Methods for the Economic Evaluation of Health Care Programmes","author":"Drummond","year":"2015","journal-title":"Oxford University Press"},{"key":"R41-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e38315","DOI":"10.2196\/38315","article-title":"Virtual reality technology in cognitive rehabilitation application: Bibliometric analysis","volume":"10","author":"He","year":"2022","journal-title":"JMIR Serious Games"},{"key":"R42-20260829","author":"Gr\u00e4f","year":"2024","journal-title":"Crisis Management in the Metaverse: Designing Virtual Worlds for Real-World Resilience"},{"key":"R43-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1685","DOI":"10.1007\/s11126-021-09935-6","article-title":"Virtual reality exposure treatment in phobias: A systematic review","volume":"92","author":"Freitas","year":"2021","journal-title":"Psychiatric Q"},{"key":"R44-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"106200","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ssci.2023.106200","article-title":"Improving safety outcomes through medical error reduction via virtual reality-based clinical skills training","volume":"165","author":"Kennedy","year":"2023","journal-title":"Safety Sci"},{"key":"R45-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"155","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-030-71221-1_8","article-title":"Virtual reality and augmented reality technologies for smart physical rehabilitation","author":"Postolache","year":"2021","journal-title":"Advanced Systems for Biomedical Applications. Springer"},{"key":"R46-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"922","DOI":"10.1038\/s42256-022-00549-6","article-title":"Development of metaverse for intelligent healthcare","volume":"4","author":"Wang","year":"2022","journal-title":"Nat Mach Intell"},{"key":"R47-20260829","first-page":"14 e31232","article-title":"Dynamics of metaverse and medicine: A review article","author":"Kawarase IV","year":"2022","journal-title":"Cureus"},{"key":"R48-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"8359","DOI":"10.1109\/TVCG.2025.3569398","article-title":"Virtual, augmented, and extended reality applied to science communication: A systematic literature review","volume":"31","author":"Romero-Luis","year":"2025","journal-title":"IEEE Trans Vis Comput Graph"},{"key":"R49-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"700211","DOI":"10.3389\/fneur.2021.700211","article-title":"The challenges and perspectives of the integration between virtual and augmented reality and manual therapies","volume":"12","author":"Cerritelli","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front Neurol"},{"key":"R50-20260829","first-page":"e57554","article-title":"Healthcare in the dynamism of metaverse after COVID-19: A systematic review of literature","volume":"16","author":"Jain","year":"2024","journal-title":"Cureus"},{"key":"R51-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"484","DOI":"10.1177\/01410768221144763","article-title":"Transforming health through the metaverse","volume":"115","author":"Qiu","year":"2022","journal-title":"J R Soc Med"},{"key":"R52-20260829","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"100679","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bj.2023.100679","article-title":"The next generation of healthcare ecosystem in the metaverse","volume":"47","author":"Li","year":"2024","journal-title":"Biomed J"}],"container-title":["International Journal of Preventive Medicine"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.ovid.com\/10.4103\/ijpvm.ijpvm_335_25","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,29]],"date-time":"2026-08-29T15:00:20Z","timestamp":1788015620000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.ovid.com\/10.4103\/ijpvm.ijpvm_335_25"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,7]]},"references-count":49,"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4103\/ijpvm.ijpvm_335_25","relation":{},"ISSN":["2008-7802","2008-8213"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2008-7802","type":"print"},{"value":"2008-8213","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,7]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2025-09-06","name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2026-01-06","name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}]}}