A scoping review of human digital twins in healthcare applications and usage patterns

Authors

Brant H. Tudor, Johns Hopkins University
Robert Burton, Clark University
Joyce T. Johnson, Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital
Ryan Shargo, University of South Florida
Geoffrey M. Gray, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital
Jamie L. Fierstein, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital
Frederick H. Kuo, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Brandi B. Scully, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital
Alfred Asante-Korang, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital
Mohamed A. Rehman, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Luis M. Ahumada, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Digital twins have become increasingly popular across various industries as dynamic virtual models of physical systems. In healthcare, Human Digital Twins (HDTs) serve as virtual counterparts to patients. According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), a digital twin must be personalized, dynamically updated, and have predictive capabilities to—in the context of health care—inform clinical decision-making. This scoping review aims to assess the current state of HDTs in healthcare, examining whether the literature aligns with the NASEM definition and identifying trends. A systematic literature search was conducted, covering articles published from January 2017 to July 2024. Only 18 of the 149 included studies (12.08%) fully met the NASEM digital twin criteria. Digital shadows made up 9.4% of studies, general digital models comprised 10.07%, and virtual patient cohorts were another 10.07%. Only two studies mentioned verification, validation, and uncertainty quantification (VVUQ), a critical NASEM standard for model reliability. © The Author(s) 2025.

Publication Title

npj Digital Medicine

Publication Date

12-2025

Volume

8

Issue

1

ISSN

2398-6352

DOI

10.1038/s41746-025-01910-w

Keywords

digital twins, healthcare, clinical decision making

Repository Citation

Tudor, Brant H.; Burton, Robert; Johnson, Joyce T.; Shargo, Ryan; Gray, Geoffrey M.; Fierstein, Jamie L.; Kuo, Frederick H.; Scully, Brandi B.; Asante-Korang, Alfred; Rehman, Mohamed A.; and Ahumada, Luis M., "A scoping review of human digital twins in healthcare applications and usage patterns" (2025). Student Publications [Scholarly]. 62.
https://commons.clarku.edu/student_publications/62

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Copyright Conditions

Tudor, B. H., Shargo, R., Gray, G. M., Fierstein, J. L., Kuo, F. H., Burton, R., ... & Ahumada, L. M. (2025). A scoping review of human digital twins in healthcare applications and usage patterns. npj Digital Medicine, 8(1), 587.