Enhancing patients’ understanding and risk perception of pathology reports using artificial intelligence
Abstract
Patients increasingly access pathology reports through electronic health records, yet often struggle with medical jargon. This project evaluated whether ChatGPT, an AI language model, could improve patient comprehension and risk perception. A sample colonoscopy report was simplified using ChatGPT and assessed via surveys of 208 patients and 33 pathologists. While 83% of patients found the summary helpful, pathologists noted omissions and inflated risk scores. These findings suggest AI can support patient understanding, but clinical oversight is essential to ensure accuracy, prevent misinformation, and responsibly integrate AI tools into medical communication.
Primary Faculty Mentor Name
Mark Fung
Status
Medical Students
Student College
Larner College of Medicine
Program/Major
Medical Student
Primary Research Category
Clinical
Enhancing patients’ understanding and risk perception of pathology reports using artificial intelligence
Patients increasingly access pathology reports through electronic health records, yet often struggle with medical jargon. This project evaluated whether ChatGPT, an AI language model, could improve patient comprehension and risk perception. A sample colonoscopy report was simplified using ChatGPT and assessed via surveys of 208 patients and 33 pathologists. While 83% of patients found the summary helpful, pathologists noted omissions and inflated risk scores. These findings suggest AI can support patient understanding, but clinical oversight is essential to ensure accuracy, prevent misinformation, and responsibly integrate AI tools into medical communication.
