The NHS.uk website averaged web-based information combined with access to medical records, personalized care initiatives, and the ability to view patient data, which will allow people to be more informed and actively involved in their care.
Sixty-one percent of adults may have health literacy levels that are below, which means they might not be able to use or understand the information.
However, simply having information available does not make it useful. Health literacy is the ability to use and understand health information. Up to 61% of adults are not able to use or understand the information they have available. It can affect people’s ability to take responsibility for their health. This may lead to a lack of independence and autonomy and an over-dependence on services. Low health literacy can have a significant financial impact on healthcare systems. Some estimates place it between 3 to 5 percent of budgets. It is well known that the number of people with long-term conditions and the aging of the population has increased. Supporting people in gaining the knowledge, skills, and expertise they need to manage their health and care can alleviate some of the strain on the healthcare system.
The technology has made health information easier to access, but it could now go even further in helping those with low levels of health literacy. A new development in AI involves a class of tools known as large language models. (For example, Chat GPT). These tools can make health information more personal, understandable, and actionable. This helps patients have a better understanding of their conditions and more control over their care.
Large language models are a technology that has been quickly adopted. These tools have incredible potential once you start using them. Recent research has shown that these technologies can be used to rewrite medical consent information for a reading level of 13 from an educated starting point while keeping all essential information.
AI can also be used to identify relevant information about self-care. This can be rewritten in a way that is more accessible.
This technology can empower individuals by providing them with tailored health information that is based on trusted public sources and adapted to their literacy level. It’s also possible to use a person’s medical record to identify the best self-care information, which could then be rewritten using AI to make it more accessible. It doesn’t have to end there. The large language models are used to create text, but they also fall under a larger category of AI called generative AI. This includes AI, which can create images, audio, and videos. By linking together several AI tools, it may be possible to generate customized content in different formats like audio or animations. All of this could help reduce literacy and numeracy obstacles to self-care. Still, it requires collective action from NHS leaders who work with patients and innovators in setting a vision and a direction for using AI to improve empowerment.
It’s a brand-new technology, and there are many potential obstacles to overcome. This includes development and regulation. AI, such as large language models, can and do make up things. Having the right processes and improvement mechanisms in place is, therefore, essential. It is important to distinguish between re-creating public information and providing clinical guidance, as large language models are not medical devices but consumer technologies. These tools can also share data with their suppliers, which may cause privacy issues. NHS leaders, regulators, and innovators must work with staff and patients in order to further develop these technologies, protect privacy, and ensure clinical safety that is acceptable to the patient.
AI has the potential to improve healthcare services in a significant way. But that’s only one part of the story. AI technology has the potential to put people at the center of health care, giving them greater control over their care and empowering them to take care of themselves. These tools can improve the delivery of clinical services. Still, they could also bring about a more significant shift if designed and developed to empower people with greater control over their health, well-being, and self-care.