Privacy-preserving secure computation: bridging traditional healthcare and metaverse telemedicine

In the era of emerging virtual environments, privacy-preserving secure computation (PPSC) has become increasingly vital. This chapter explores secure multiparty computation (SMPC), a subset of PPSC, and its applications in healthcare, with a particular focus on telemedicine within the metaverse. This chapter examines the role of SMPC in cloud computing, highlighting its ability to enable collaborative computations while preserving data confidentiality. This chapter then probes into the applications of SMPC in healthcare, from traditional settings to the innovative realm of metaverse-based telemedicine. This chapter explores how SMPC facilitates secure analysis of sensitive patient data, supports collaborative medical research, and ensures privacy in virtual healthcare environments. A significant portion of the chapter is dedicated to the emerging field of telemedicine in the metaverse. It examines how SMPC can be applied to protect patient privacy during virtual consultations, secure avatar-mediated interactions, and safeguard the sharing of medical data across virtual platforms. The potential of SMPC in enabling secure, immersive healthcare experiences while maintaining strict privacy standards is thoroughly explored. The discussion extends to the integration of SMPC with other cutting-edge technologies like blockchain and artificial intelligence, particularly in the context of metaverse healthcare. The challenges of implementing SMPC in virtual environments, including computational overhead and complexity are also addressed. This chapter concludes by examining how SMPC helps healthcare providers meet strict data protection requirements, such as those mandated by General Data Protection Regulation and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability, across both conventional healthcare systems and emerging metaverse-based medical platforms. It concludes by reflecting on how SMPC’s robust privacy protections can foster patient trust and support ethical data practices in the evolving landscape of virtual healthcare delivery. This comprehensive exploration provides insights into the critical role of SMPC in ensuring privacy and security in healthcare, from conventional applications to the frontier of telemedicine within the metaverse.