Healthcare Communication Research Articles

Exploring Empathic Communication Among Community Health Workers: Applying the ENACT Tool in Two South African Sites.

Introduction. Effective empathic communication between health care providers and patients is an essential part of health care. In resource-poor contexts, evidence is needed to understand the quality and content of health care communication within real-life clinical engagements. We used the existing Enhancing Assessment of Common Therapeutic Factors (ENACT) tool to measure empathic communication skills among a group of community health workers (CHWs) receiving a novel quality improvement intervention called Nyamekela4Care in South Africa. Methods. In two resource-limited sites in the Western Cape, South Africa, we audio-recorded CHWs, with consent, in routine client consultations at baseline and postintervention. All sessions were in Afrikaans. We used the adapted ENACT tool to rate recordings at both timepoints, assessing 11 items including communication skills, emotional engagement, process and interaction. We used ANOVA to assess preimplementation and postimplementation differences in empathic communication, and analyzed coders' feedback on the coding process itself. Results. We analyzed n = 66 recordings from 11 CHWs, observing positive directionality overall, with most skills improving over time. Despite near-significant improvements in communication delivery (p = .083), self-confidence/groundedness (p = .029) significantly changed but in the opposite direction. Large effect sizes were observed in verbal communication, responsiveness to client, and identifying external resources, with no significant difference between timepoints. ENACT was feasible to apply to audio recordings; inter-coder reliability was suboptimal despite coder training and ongoing monitoring and support. Discussion. Quality improvement interventions may improve empathic skills in diverse contexts, and our results demonstrate how empathic skills could be more routinely assessed in low-resource health care settings.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Cervical Cancer Awareness and Prevention in Southern Eastern Europe: A Narrative Review

This narrative review examines the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) related to cervical cancer across Southeastern Europe, with a focus on disparities in awareness, prevention efforts, and healthcare access. A comprehensive search of PubMed over the past 12 years was conducted to assess gaps in KAP regarding cervical cancer and human papillomavirus (HPV) prevention. The findings revealed significant gaps in KAP, including limited knowledge about cervical cancer risk factors, inadequate attitudes toward screening, and poor preventive practices, such as low participation in screening programs and HPV vaccine uptake. Economic challenges and inconsistent healthcare communication further hinder progress. The review emphasizes the need for targeted public health strategies, focusing on improving education, social mobilization, and access to essential services. Further research is necessary to address sociocultural and economic factors contributing to these gaps and to develop tailored interventions suited to the region's diverse populations.

The Encounter of Two Worlds: Divided Narratives of Decision-Making on Cancer Treatment Between Physicians and Patients.

Divided narratives pose long-standing difficulties in physician and patient communication. In decision-making on cancer treatment, divided narratives between physicians and patients hinder mutual understanding and agreement over the illness and its treatment. For effective decision-making on treatments, it is necessary to investigate the similarities and differences in these divided narratives. This study adopted a qualitative research design of narrative inquiry to examine the data, which included interviews with 32 cancer patients and 16 paired physicians in two hospitals in China. Data analysis was conducted using grounded theory to generate findings. Both physicians and patients were concerned about goals and obstacles to their decision-making on cancer treatment. Four common aspects of goal setting were identified from the divided narratives: decision pools, treatment goals, identity practice and preferred identity. Four common obstacles were identified: pains and trust, communication gap, financial issues and complex family. However, the meanings attached to these eight aspects differed between physicians and patients. Cancer treatment decision-making is an encounter of the scientific world and lifeworld. A divided narrative approach can identify the similarities and differences in the decision-making on cancer treatment between physicians and patients. Physicians generally adopt a rational decision-making approach, whereas patients generally adopt a relational decision-making approach. Despite the common concerns in their goals and obstacles, physicians and patients differed in their contextualized interpretations, which demonstrates the physicians' and the patients' pursuit of preferred identities in decision-making. The results of this study provide a new perspective to treatment decision-making, emphasizing the importance of narrative integration in reaching mutual agreement. The findings were shared with 15 cancer patients and caregivers for feedback and advice in June 2024. This study was also presented at the international conferences of COMET (International and Interdisciplinary Conference on Communication, Medicine, and Ethics) and ICCH (International Conference on Communication in Healthcare) 2023 for continuous feedback and comments.

Intra- and inter-facility experiences of coordinating care for patients with lung cancer in KwaZulu-Natal public health facilities: a qualitative study

Aim Despite evidence that effective cancer care coordination has yielded positive results in facilitating and supporting high-quality care, it remains a complex and challenging system to implement. South Africa’s mortality of lung cancer is reported at 13.4%, ranking highest among all cancers. Coordinating the care of cancer patients is complex and can last several months or years, with multiple consultations, rounds of treatment, and follow-up in various settings. With so many health professionals, services, and settings involved, the care of these patients can become fragmented and uncoordinated. This interface between primary and specialty care offers a valuable opportunity to appreciate the challenges of delivering well-coordinated cancer care. Consequently, this paper explores healthcare professionals’ perspectives on coordinating lung cancer care within and between healthcare services. Methods This study was conducted through virtual, telephonic, and face-to-face in-depth interviews with 26 purposively selected participants from primary to tertiary health professionals, using a semi-structured tool and drawing from grounded theory design. Data generation and analysis were conducted iteratively, followed by systematic thematic analysis to organise data, review, and interpret the findings. Findings The overall public health system challenges reported by participants involved service fragmentation, staff shortages, and communication problems. Drivers of lack of care coordination varied widely across healthcare professionals, with interoperability and communication challenges standing out as the most prominent themes. Consequently, better communication, interoperability, and improved care transitions between providers and health systems were proposed. This study provides pertinent information for policymakers and healthcare professionals to develop appropriate strategies for improving cancer care coordination interventions. Conclusions A fundamental change is required to shift the direction of the KwaZulu-Natal public health system towards responsive, patient-centred, comprehensive, and coordinated care. Enabling the primary healthcare level to play a substantial role in care coordination may provide a plausible intervention to circumvent healthcare complexities.

Further assessment of structural and social determinant of health effects on breast cancer care timelines: A qualitative study.

121 Background: Time to treatment (TTI) delays result in increased morbidity and mortality for cancer patients. These treatment delays disproportionately occur within marginalized communities due to structural challenges with social determinants of health (SDoH), disengagement with the healthcare system and limited or low health literacy that impacts their ability to obtain timely, appropriate care. We conducted semi-structured interviews with patients treated for breast cancer about their care treatment trajectories to further understand barriers and facilitators for timely treatment from the patient perspective. Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 30 patients in 2023 who received curative intent breast cancer treatment at Montefiore Medical Center from 2019 to 2023. Interviews addressed barriers and facilitators of timely TTI, perceived timeliness and salience of timeliness, emotional well-being, and perceptions of the healthcare team and communication. We analyzed interviews using framework analysis. Results: A total of 30 patients were interviewed (mean age 58.9 year ± 10.6, 75% Non-Hispanic Black, 25% Non-Hispanic White). The median TTI was 52.5 days (49, 62 IQR). First treatment modality included surgery (75%) and chemotherapy (25%). Many participants found significant emotional and logistical support through family, social networks, religion, and connecting with survivors. Several patients faced transportation issues hindered their ability to adhere to schedules, childcare challenges, and difficulty managing numerous appointments, with some wishing transportation services had been offered at diagnosis. Some participants experienced unique cancer presentation, required clearances, involvement of non-oncologic providers and consultants, and time for decision-making about treatment options that may have contributed to delays. Some patients faced financial burdens including personal expenses, family support needs, and difficulties accessing third-party assistance (i.e., short-term disability, Supplemental Security Income). Some patients valued mental health counseling and other resources like group therapy and social workers, though some wished for earlier, more specialized support, indicating gaps in the support timeline. A few patients expressed preference for longer TTI that afforded them time to make important decisions and seek opinions. Conclusions: The study revealed that many patients faced logistical, emotional, and informational challenges while awaiting treatment and highlighted a need for more tailored assistance and timely interventions. Findings from our work highlight the need for further study on how healthcare systems can better equip and engage patients early in the care timeline to avoid delayed TTI.

Transforming Healthcare Communication in India: A Strategic Paradigm

Transforming Healthcare Communication in India: A Strategic Paradigm

Growth of Ta-doped SnO2 on GaN as a UV-transparent conducting electrode and band alignment properties of the heterojunction

GaN-based ultraviolet light emitting diodes (UV LEDs) have attracted considerable attention in recent years and are required in various applications such as healthcare, light illumination, and optical communication. However, the limited UV transparency of the electrodes like indium-doped tin oxide has hindered the external quantum efficiency of current UV LEDs. In this work, we present the growth of UV-transparent Ta-doped SnO2 (TTO) thin films on GaN as a promising UV-transparent electrode for LEDs. TTO thin films with a thickness of 200 nm exhibit optical transmission exceeding 80% at the wavelength of 300 nm, with a low resistivity of 2.5 × 10−4 Ω·cm and a low contact resistance of 1.7 × 10−2 Ω cm2 to n-type GaN. High-resolution x-ray photoemission spectra were employed to reveal insight into the electronic structure of TTO and the interfacial band alignment of TTO/GaN heterojunction. The wide optical bandgap (∼4.6 eV) and high UV transparency of TTO films stem from a significant Burstein–Moss shift due to degenerate doping, giving rise to metal-like characteristics and a small barrier height at the interface of TTO/GaN. These findings imply the origin of low contact resistivity of TTO to n-type GaN and may be applicable to the development of UV-transparent electrodes of optoelectronic devices.

A study of dentists' explanations and patient-dentist communication among older adults in Japan.

In recent years, the proportion of elderly people in the total patient population has been increasing owing to the rapid aging of Japanese society. However, little is known about the age-specific healthcare communication challenges within the field of dentistry. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the relationship between dentists' explanations and patient-dentist communication among elderly patients. The study included 146 dentist-elderly patient pairs from Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. A questionnaire was administered to pairs of dentists and patients. The survey was conducted between June 2021 and April 2022. We examined the relationships among the survey items: dentist demographics, patient demographics and sufficiency of the dentist explanations, and patient-dentist communication. The logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the patient's mode of visiting the dentist as the objective variable, sufficiency of the dentist explanations, patient-dentist communication, dentist, and patient factors as explanatory variables. About 30% of patients felt that explanations of "Comparison with other treatment methods," "Treatment period," and "Treatment prognosis" were not sufficient. Among these items, a significantly higher percentage of respondents found the dentist's explanations sufficient when they were treated by more than one dentist. Many good communication factors were significantly associated with the dentist being younger and having a preventive practice. Multivariate analysis revealed a significant association between sufficiency of the dentist explanations and patients' regular dental visits. Adequate explanations by dentists for elderly patients were significantly associated with the dentist factor. Improving the quantity and quality of the dentists' explanations of treatment may improve patient satisfaction and promote regular dental visits.

Social media and health care: a cross-sectional analysis of X (Twitter) posts using the NodeXL platform

Introduction. The landscape of healthcare and medical education is rapidly evolving, driven by the popularity of social media platforms like Facebook, WeChat, and X (Twitter). These platforms have transformed healthcare communication, enabling trainees, medical students, and practitioners to enhance learning and clinical practice. Educators leverage social media to simplify complex medical concepts, fostering continuous learning and professional development. Despite their benefits, social media, notably X (Twitter), boasting over 186 million active users, are susceptible to misinformation, underscoring the importance of verifying data accuracy and identifying influential medical sources. This study aims to identify the most influential sources of health information through X (Twitter) analysis using the NodeXL tool. Methods. Employing a cross-sectional design, this study utilized the NodeXL platform for social media analysis. NodeXL facilitated the identification of prevalent topics in public health discussions on X (Twitter). Influencers, users, and prominent healthcare providers were categorized to assess the credibility of their information. Data collection extended up to March 1, 2024. Results. Analysis revealed that the #hospital hashtag garnered the highest number of tweets among popular healthcare hashtags (6,438 tweets, with 84% being unique). Conversely, #medicalcare and #medicine had the lowest citation counts (58 and 116 respectively). @MahaHealthIE emerged as the most famous account using the #healthservices hashtag. Notable influencers with the #hospital hashtag included YouTube, Narendra Modi, and Al Jazeera English. @GreenSwelfares led in using the #medicalcare hashtag, while YouTube and the World Health Organization (@WHO) were prominent among accounts using #medicine. Conclusion. This study underscores the significance of monitoring social media and tracking key influencers periodically. However, the study's limitation lies in its snapshot nature, failing to capture the dynamic shifts in influencer popularity trends over time.

Perceptions of Health Care Provider Interactions Among Medicare Beneficiaries With Hearing Trouble and the Role of an Accompanying Companion.

Hearing trouble (HT) impairs communication with health care providers (HCPs) and may lead to negative care experiences that impact health outcomes. The current study aimed to examine how HT influences patient perceptions of provider interactions and whether having an accompanying companion during health care visits modifies perceptions of provider interactions. This cross-sectional study analyzed 9,104 responses from the 2016 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey. Compared to beneficiaries without HT, those with HT had greater odds of negative perceptions of HCP interactions. Beneficiaries with HT had greater odds of disagreeing with positive statements about care, including provider competence, provider cares to check everything, provider response, and provider rarely in a hurry. Having an accompanying companion during health care visits was not found to significantly modify perceptions of interactions. Findings suggest HT is a modifiable factor impacting health care communication. Implementing simple accommodation strategies in clinical practice can improve nursing care for older adults with HT. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, xx(xx), xx-xx.].

Healthcare Service Delivery and Patients’ Satisfaction in Public Hospitals in Akwa Ibom State

This study is centred on healthcare service delivery and patients’ satisfaction in public hospitals in Akwa Ibom State. We formulated two specific objectives and hypotheses to guide this investigation. We also adopted a cross-sectional research approach and selected the respondents using simple random sampling. Given the study's infinite population, we used the Topman formula to determine the sample size. The data assembled from the participants was analysed using the simple linear regression technique. Findings from the study demonstrated that patient waiting time (PWT) and healthcare provider-patient communication (HCP-PC) have positive and significant effects on patient satisfaction in selected public hospitals in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The researcher’s conclusion is that healthcare service delivery has a significant positive effect on patients’ healthcare satisfaction in the studied public hospitals in Akwa Ibom State. Based on these findings, public hospitals should prioritise the proper management of patient administrative concerns, as this could potentially reduce patient waiting times. Given that patients place their trust in healthcare workers, it is important for healthcare providers in the studied public hospitals to respect their private healthcare information.

Varieties of silence – a mixed-methods study exploring reasons and justifications for nondisclosure of the use of complementary therapies to physicians in Finland

BackgroundIn health care, two in three users of complementary therapies (CT) stay silent about their CT use. Disclosure of CT use to physicians is important for patient safety, participation, and shared decision-making. Common reasons for CT nondisclosure include patients´ expectations of physicians’ unaccepting response to disclosure, physicians not asking, and patients believing it is unnecessary. This study aimed to increase understanding of patient silence. We investigated how the reasons for nondisclosure of CT use reported by CT users were associated with the frequency of CT disclosure and how these associations and reported justifications to keep silent reflect patient silence among the study participants.MethodsThis mixed-methods study used existing data from the non-probability-based online survey (n = 6802) targeted to CT users among the general population in Finland. A qualitative structured tabular thematic analysis was conducted for the selected 342 brief texts describing the reasons and justification for not telling physicians about CT use. The associations between the frequency of CT disclosure and the reasons for CT nondisclosure were analysed by crosstabulations and binary logistic regression analysis with SPSS (v28).ResultsThree types of patient silence were revealed. Avoidant silence illustrates the respondents coping with the fear of unwanted response from a physician and avoiding the expected negative consequences of CT disclosure. Precautionary silence exemplifies respondents striving to prevent the reoccurrence of previously experienced frustration of wishes to be seen and heard as CT users. Conditional silence portrays the self-confidence of respondents who assessed their need to disclose CT use to physicians on a case-by-case basis.ConclusionsSilence, for some patients, may serve as a way of warding off past and possible future fears and frustrations related to CT disclosure. It is important to recognise different types of patient silence related to CT disclosure to enhance patient participation and shared decision-making in health care. Efforts are needed to provide health policy decision-makers with information about CT users’ lived experiences with CT communication in health care.

Contributions and Impact of Health Communication Research to Vaccination Efforts and Acceptance

ABSTRACT Vaccines (a medical product) and vaccination recommendations (expert advice on who should receive, when, and how often) have grown in importance and prominence in the past 15 years, including because of a recent COVID-19 pandemic. This essay highlights contributions from vaccine and vaccination-related health communication research since 2010. This research has had significant impacts – that is, visible and discernible positive effects – on the ways health communication is undertaken broadly (e.g. at the campaign level) and at the health care provider-patient level (e.g. conversations with parents and patients regarding vaccine benefits, risks, and safety). As this essay illustrates, health communication research has resulted in greater use of formative research to guide vaccination campaign and education efforts, better identification and understanding of the factors behind vaccination delay and declination, and greater recognition that communication efforts can fail to achieve desired outcomes or generate unintended consequences. Health communication research has also documented the powerful influence of healthcare provider communication on parent and patient understanding and compliance with immunization recommendations. Importantly, this research has also shown the characteristics of provider-patient communication matter much. Healthcare providers must have or establish a high degree of trust, be well-versed in vaccine efficacy and safety, and be adept at using their personal experiences, information tailoring/personalization, and evidence-based communication strategies to increase the likelihood of success.

Communication at work: A survey to explore the relationships between healthcare providers' communication competence and professional quality of life in neonatal care

ObjectiveProviding medical care to preterm infants can be rewarding yet also stressful for healthcare providers in the neonatal care unit (NICU). While the impact of provider-parent communication on parent-related stress and satisfaction is widely accepted, little is known about the provider perspective. Therefore, this study explores the relationships between neonatal care providers' communicative competence and their professional quality of life and job satisfaction. MethodsUsing the NICU Communication Framework, we conducted a cross-sectional survey among N = 300 Dutch pediatricians‑neonatologists, nurses, and ancillary staff. ResultsCommunication performance and providers' job satisfaction were correlated, particularly in terms of perceived quality of care, professional relationships, and personal rewards. When providers deemed communication important and perceived themselves as skilled communicators, job satisfaction increased. Experiencing sufficient time for conversations with parents was inversely correlated with provider fatigue and burn-out. Yet, providers reported insufficient opportunity for communication. ConclusionThese results warrant reflection on the importance of communication in neonatal care, for the wellbeing of parents and providers alike. InnovationFocusing on the provider perspective, this study provides novel insights into the relationships between communication and outcomes of care. Our findings uniquely emphasize the power of communication to foster staff satisfaction and reduce burn-out in the NICU.

WP6.12 - What the bleep? Have we finally found a solution to the bleep system?: Exploring the efficacy of a WhatsApp-style messaging system as an alternative to traditional bleeps in the healthcare setting

Abstract Aims Traditionally, bleeps have been integral to the role of a doctor. A pre-pandemic study estimated that more than 10% of the world’s bleeps are currently being used by the NHS. However, in response to the 2021 directive by the health secretary to phase out bleeps within NHS England, new approaches to communication in healthcare are being implemented. One of these is Alertive, a WhatsApp-style messaging system. This study utilises a quality improvement approach to determine the efficacy of Alertive in conveying messages as a replacement for bleeps, and to investigate the reasons behind its perceived poor uptake. Methods A ten-day evaluation of the uptake of 15 distinct Alertive roles within the surgical department, accompanied by a satisfaction survey circulated among departmental juniors. Results The survey findings revealed a prevailing consensus among users endorsing the efficacy and superiority of Alertive as a concept over the previous bleep system. However, user-reported constraints related to functionality and application logistics. These have been identified as sources of frustration and thereby impeding the broader utilisation and efficacy of Alertive. Conclusion Effective multi-disciplinary communication is imperative in a hospital setting. While Alertive presents a potential alternative to traditional bleeps, challenges such as poor role uptake and communication appropriateness persist and represent significant barriers to full integration and staff satisfaction. Role uptake is variable with some surgical teams having better compliance than others. While users report that the concept of Alertive is beneficial, no single communication system has been identified as being superior, emphasising the ongoing need for solutions in healthcare communication.

The Role of Public Health in Promoting Health Literacy

Health literacy, the ability to obtain, process, and understand health information to make informed decisions, is critical to individual and community well-being. This paper examines public health’s essential role in promoting health literacy, emphasizing the importance of equipping populations with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to make sound health decisions. Public health initiatives, partnerships with healthcare providers, and culturally competent health education programs are pivotal to improving health literacy. The review emphasizes the need for strategic policy recommendations to ensure that health literacy becomes a public health priority. By fostering health literacy, public health can improve health outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and empower individuals and communities. Keywords: Health literacy, Public health, Health education, Healthcare communication, Community health.

Digital Technology in Healthcare—An Ethical Overview

This overview of ethical aspects of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare is organized according to major types of medical activities. It discusses important ethical problems in (1) diagnostic uses of AI such as image interpretation and text interpretation, (2) the use of AI as decision support or even as decision-maker, (3) its use for treatment, for instance in robotic surgery, exoskeletons, virtual psychotherapy and therapeutic robots (care robots), and (4) the use of AI for healthcare documentation and communication. Summing up, we emphasize two major challenges in the introduction of AI that should concern not only healthcare professionals but also higher level decision-makers such as politicians and hospital directors. The first of these is the need to retain human contacts between patients and healthcare, in particular contacts that are conducive to patient health and well-being. The second is the need to ensure that the introduction of AI in healthcare does not create or exacerbate injustices in healthcare. This can happen if prevalent human biases are encoded in AI tools. It can also occur if people with less money have to use inexpensive AI tools such as virtual psychotherapists whereas the well-to-do have access to a human psychotherapist. On the other hand, AI tools can be used to provide better healthcare to all who need it, and they can also be programmed to avoid biases and other mistakes that humans are prone to. The article concludes with brief summaries of the articles in the special issue on AI in healthcare that it introduces.

A Review-Based Study on the Importance of Doctor-Patient Communication in Healthcare

Effective doctor-patient communication is crucial for delivering quality healthcare, as it directly influences patient satisfaction, treatment adherence, and the incidence of medical errors. This review critically analyzes secondary data from various studies, surveys, and meta-analyses to examine the impact of communication on health outcomes, particularly focusing on vulnerable populations such as those with language barriers and low health literacy. The findings reveal that effective communication enhances patient satisfaction, improves adherence to treatment plans, and reduces medical errors, while poor communication leads to adverse health outcomes, including non-compliance and misdiagnosis. Additionally, improving communication practices lowers malpractice claims and mitigates physician burnout. These insights emphasize the need for targeted interventions to overcome communication barriers and foster equitable healthcare delivery.

Thoughts and opinions about fertility preservation and family building from the transgender community—an interview-based approach

BackgroundWhen considering the significant prevalence of transgender and gender nonconforming individuals, it is imperative that physicians work to understand the unique needs of this population including paths to family building and fertility preservation. ObjectiveTo understand the thoughts and opinions about fertility preservation and family building within the transgender community. Study designSurvey-based study and qualitative study at a single, large hospital-affiliated fertility center. A 16-question survey followed by a 30-minute virtual interview was utilized. Forty-three participants completed the survey and were used for quantitative analysis, and 40 audio files were used for qualitative analysis. ResultsThe average age of participants was 27.0±7.3 years old. The majority of participants were assigned female at birth (70.7%); however, most participants’ gender identities were transgender (54.8%) or nonbinary (47.6%). The average age at which participants realized they were transgender and disclosed their identity to a friend, or partner, was 16.2±7.0 (range 3–30) and 20.1±5.6 (range 11–33), respectively. The average age that participants disclosed their gender identity to their parents, siblings, or other family was 22.4±5.9 (range 12–35). Five categories were utilized to summarize the experiences and opinions of the participants: family building and parenthood goals, influences of family background/partner on parenthood goals, awareness and knowledge about fertility preservation, barrier to family building, and recommended healthcare provider communication and education. Sixteen participants (40.0%, n/N=16/40) were interested in having children in the future, 18 (45.0%, n/N=18/40) were unsure/dependent on their partner, and 6 (15.0%, n/N=6/40) were not interested in having children. Of those interested in having children (n/N=16/40), the majority wished to utilize adoption to build their family (68.8%, n/N=11/16). Nine participants (22.5%, n/N=9/40) reported that fertility preservation was never discussed. Most participants agreed that gender dysphoria, cost, inadequate counseling, and improvements in healthcare knowledge about transgender individuals were key influences on their opinions about pursuing fertility preservation or parenthood. ConclusionTransgender individuals want to build families, and the majority consider adoption the preferred method. There are still transgender individuals who are not counseled about fertility preservation. It is imperative the healthcare system continues to improve the education of healthcare providers about management and care of transgender individuals to provide the best care for this vulnerable population.

Artificial Intelligence in Multilingual Interpretation and Radiology Assessment for Clinical Language Evaluation (AI-MIRACLE).

The AI-MIRACLE Study investigates the efficacy of using ChatGPT 4.0, a large language model (LLM), for translating and simplifying radiology reports into multiple languages, aimed at enhancing patient comprehension. The study assesses the model's performance across the most spoken languages in the U.S., emphasizing the accuracy and clarity of translated and simplified radiology reports for non-medical readers. This study employed ChatGPT 4.0 to translate and simplify selected radiology reports into Vietnamese, Tagalog, Spanish, Mandarin, and Arabic. Hindi was used as a preliminary test language for validation of the questionnaire. Performance was assessed via Google form surveys distributed to bilingual physicians, which assessed the translation accuracy and clarity of simplified texts provided by ChatGPT 4. Responses from 24 participants showed mixed results. The study underscores the model's varying success across different languages, emphasizing both potential applications and limitations. ChatGPT 4.0 shows promise in breaking down language barriers in healthcare settings, enhancing patient comprehension of complex medical information. However, the performance is inconsistent across languages, indicating a need for further refinement and more inclusive training of AI models to handle diverse medical contexts and languages. The study highlights the role of LLMs in improving healthcare communication and patient comprehension, while indicating the need for continued advancements in AI technology, particularly in the translation of low-resource languages.