The scenarios seem borrowed from science fiction: Doctors use a digital model of the human heart to try new cardiac surgery techniques. Drug manufacturers test innovative cancer treatments on virtual systems that mimic patient response. Hospitals execute “digital stress tests” on their computerized doppelgangers to anticipate how a global pandemic might affect capacity and resources.
Welcome to the world of “digital twin”–assisted healthcare, where virtual modeling of medical systems and procedures, as well as organs, tumours and even entire human bodies, is transforming medicine — and paving the way for promising new personalized treatments and faster, more efficient delivery of services.