From Telemedicine to 3D: How Hologram Technology is Revolutionizing Telemedicine

Written by Eugene Song, PharmD 2027

September 30, 2024

From Telemedicine to 3D: How Hologram Technology is Revolutionizing Telemedicine

The integration of holographic technology into healthcare marks a groundbreaking advancement in the digital health community. This advanced technology holds tremendous potential for improving patient care, enhancing access to medical services, and transforming medical education. 

Crescent Regional Hospital in Lancaster, Texas is experimenting with holographic technology for doctors to see patients. In May of 2024, the hospital collaborated with a digital technology firm based in the Netherlands, HoloConnects. The Holobox, the 7-foot tall display with 3-D realistic, live video display costs $42,000, in addition to a $1,900 service fee. Its immersive, hyper-realistic displays feel like an in-person conversation compared to a Zoom telemedicine visit. 

This holographic technology could be used in various scenarios not including: pre- and post-operative provider visits, consultations, virtual rounds for inpatients and hospitalists, and collaborative care planning with teams. This provides patients with better, faster care as providers can ‘beam in’ from anywhere, giving patients even in rural settings specialized medicine access. 

Holographic telemedicine provides the sense that the patient is getting an in-person visit experience. The holographic display’s large screen and sophisticated camera allows the patient to see the provider’s full body, providing a sense that they are physically present and judging their body language. The current telemedicine communication involves phone screens or a computer camera that does not convey the patient engagement and presence holographic technology can offer. 

In the realm of holographic technology, this not only can be used for telemedicine, but also for medical education and other clinical settings. Using 3-D models with hyper-reality and immersive screens gives students an enhanced learning experience. In clinical settings, holograms allow interdisciplinary teams to collaborate, when team members are not physically present. Doctors can conduct virtual rounds improving care coordination and reducing decision-making delays.

While the benefits are promising, holographic technology does have limitations. Due to the cost of these technologies, the initial investment required and ongoing maintenance for this is not reasonable for many healthcare institutions. In addition, there are only a few healthcare facilities in the United States that have the infrastructure necessary to support holograms, limiting its accessibility. Until the technology is more widespread and affordable, its ability to improve patient care and access will remain limited. 

Holographic technology is an improvement compared to traditional telemedicine options, and is a transformative access technology that can improve patient engagement. While there are current challenges such as high costs and limited accessibility, advancements continue and we can expect to see greater impact on patient care, medical education, and healthcare collaboration with this cutting-edge technology. 

References:

1. Sanders H. Your Hologram Doctor Will See You Now. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/29/health/texas-telehealth-hologram-doctor.html. Published June 29, 2024.

2. Blum K. Health systems using holograms to keep patients engaged. Association of Health Care Journalists. Published July 30, 2024. Accessed October 1, 2024. https://healthjournalism.org/blog/2024/07/health-systems-using-holograms-to-keep-patients-engaged/

3. Ranganathan S. See how this hospital is using holograms to meet patients | CNN. www.cnn.com. Published June 26, 2024. Accessed July 23, 2024. https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/26/us/video/hologram-visits-doctors-patients-texas-hospital-affil-pkg-cprog-digvid