Allies not enemies-creating a more empathetic and uplifting patient experience through technology and art

Luca Tagliaferri; Bruno Fionda; Calogero Casà; Patrizia Cornacchione; Sara Scalise; Silvia Chiesa; Elisa Marconi; Loredana Dinapoli; Beatrice Di Capua; Daniela Pia Rosaria Chieffo; Fabio Marazzi; Vincenzo Frascino; Giuseppe Ferdinando Colloca; Vincenzo Valentini; Francesco Miccichè; Maria Antonietta Gambacorta

doi:10.1007/s00066-024-02279-7

Allies not enemies-creating a more empathetic and uplifting patient experience through technology and art

Strahlenther Onkol. 2024 Sep 11. doi: 10.1007/s00066-024-02279-7. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Luca Tagliaferri^{1

2}, Bruno Fionda¹, Calogero Casà^{3

4}, Patrizia Cornacchione¹, Sara Scalise¹, Silvia Chiesa¹, Elisa Marconi^{1

5}, Loredana Dinapoli^{1

5}, Beatrice Di Capua⁶, Daniela Pia Rosaria Chieffo^{5

7}, Fabio Marazzi¹, Vincenzo Frascino¹, Giuseppe Ferdinando Colloca¹, Vincenzo Valentini⁶, Francesco Miccichè⁸, Maria Antonietta Gambacorta^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ UOC di Radioterapia Oncologica, Dipartimento di Diagnostica per Immagini, Radioterapia Oncologica ed Ematologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
² Dipartimento di Scienze Radiologiche ed Ematologiche, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
³ UOC di Radioterapia Oncologica, Ospedale Isola Tiberina-Gemelli Isola, Rome, Italy. calogero.casa@fbf-isola.it.
⁴ Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy. calogero.casa@fbf-isola.it.
⁵ UOS di Psicologia Clinica, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
⁶ Centro di Eccellenza Oncologia Radioterapica e Medica e Radiologia, Ospedale Isola Tiberina-Gemelli Isola, Rome, Italy.
⁷ Scienze della Salute della Donna, del Bambino e di Sanità Pubblica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
⁸ UOC di Radioterapia Oncologica, Ospedale Isola Tiberina-Gemelli Isola, Rome, Italy.

PMID: 39259348
DOI: 10.1007/s00066-024-02279-7

Abstract

Objective: To understand whether art and technology (mainly conversational agents) may help oncology patients to experience a more humanized journey.

Methods: This narrative review encompasses a comprehensive examination of the existing literature in this field by a multicenter, multidisciplinary, and multiprofessional team aiming to analyze the current developments and potential future directions of using art and technology for patient engagement.

Results: We identified three major themes of patient engagement with art and three major themes of patient engagement with technologies. Two real-case scenarios are reported from our experience to practically envision how findings from the literature can be implemented in different contexts.

Conclusion: Art therapy and technologies can be ancillary supports for healthcare professionals but are not substitutive of their expertise and responsibilities. Such tools may help to convey a more empathetic and uplifting patient journey if properly integrated within clinical practice, whereby the humanistic touch of medicine remains pivotal.

Keywords: Care; Digital health; Oncology; Patient journey; Quality of life.

Publication types

Review