Experts are raising questions about whether 3D hologram technology adds any additional value to telehealth visits, The New York Times reported June 29.
In May, Crescent Regional Hospital in Lancaster, Texas, became the first hospital in the country to use holograms to connect physicians and patients for remote visits. So far, the technology has been mostly used for pre- and post-operative visits, though leaders have plans to expand its use to other types of appointments. The hologram display and video studio, called Holobox, is made by digital technology firm Holoconnects.
Each device, which displays a life-size, 3D live video of a person, costs $42,000, plus a $1,900 yearly service fee.
Technology advancements in healthcare are typically assessed based on their ability to reduce costs, increase access to care or improve outcomes. Some digital medicine experts aren't convinced that the hologram technology is any better than the 2D options that are typically used for telehealth visits, like Zoom or FaceTime. The technology also requires patients to travel to a physical location other than their home, raising questions about whether it would improve accessibility.
"I don’t know of any data to support the idea that this would improve the quality of the visit beyond a usual telemedicine visit," Eric Bressman, MD, assistant professor of medicine and digital medicine expert at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, told the Times.
However, hospital executives say the hologram fosters a better connection between patients and physicians since it more closely simulates an in-person interaction. Since the technology enables them to see a patient's full body, they can make better judgments on a person's gait, range of motion and other physical characteristics, leaders said.
"The physicians are able to have a much different impact on the patient," Raji Kumar, managing partner and CEO of Crescent Regional, told the Times. "The patients feel like the physician is right there."
Steve Sterling, managing director of the North American Division of Holoconnects, acknowledged there are no tangible benefits when it comes to patient outcomes, "but what we are already impacting upon is a sense of engagement between doctors and patients," he said.