SUNY Downstate Researchers Find AI Chatbots Can Simplify Pathology Reports and Increase Patient Comprehension

Jun 5, 2024

New Study Published in JAMA Network Open Will Help Medical Professionals Communicate with Patients About Their Diagnoses

BROOKLYN, NY– SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University today announced that new research from the Department of Pathology has been published in JAMA Network Open, a monthly peer-reviewed medical journal published by the American Medical Association. The study, Use of Artificial Intelligence Chatbots in Interpretation of Pathology Reports, evaluates the ability of large language model chatbots to accurately explain pathology reports to patients.

This research—spearheaded by Eric Steimetz, M.D., MPH, Jeremy Minkowitz, DO, Elmer C. Gabutan, M.D., Joan Ngichabe, MB ChB, Hagar Attia, MB BCh, Fatih Ozay, M.D., and Raavi Gupta, M.D.—is critical as artificial intelligence gains widespread popularity in the medical field. Dr. Steimetz was awarded the Pathology Trainee Project Grant in Healthcare Innovation from the Society of ’67 of the Association of Pathology Chairs (APC) for the second phase of this study—exploring approaches to increasing the reliability and accuracy of chatbot responses.

"Explaining diagnostic results to patients in a way that is comprehensible is of the utmost importance to medical professionals." said Eric Steimetz, M.D., MPH. "In many cases, our diagnoses have the potential to profoundly change a patient's life. It is important to explore different avenues to ensure that each patient is able to understand the full scope of their diagnosis, and that is exactly what our study set out to do. Though not without risk, the use of AI chatbots has the potential to help fully and properly explain medical diagnoses and test results to patients. We're proud to be a part of this important work and look forward to continue developing it in the future.”

Thousands of pathology specimens are processed across the country each day. Upon reviewing the results of these tests, pathologists create diagnostic reports. These reports often contain additional information that, while important, is written in complex and subject-specific language. Because of this, it is generally beyond the comprehension of most patients. Moreover, the reports have grown increasingly complex and lengthy in recent years. But recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots have led physicians and medical researchers to believe that there is a benefit to using these models to simplify diagnostic studies.

Prior studies have labeled this technology as error-prone with limited effectiveness, however, this study showed that two specific chatbots significantly decreased the reading grade level of pathology reports while interpreting most reports correctly. These findings suggest that chatbots have the potential to explain pathology reports to patients and extrapolate pertinent details; however, the study maintains that the chatbot reports are not flawless and should not be used without a review by a healthcare professional.

The full study is available in the May edition of the JAMA Network Open Publication, and can be accessed here.

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About SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University

Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn is one of four academic health centers (AMCs) in The State University of New York (SUNY) 64-campus system and the only SUNY AMC in New York City dedicated to health education, research, and patient care for the borough’s 2.7 million residents. Its flagship hospital, University Hospital at Downstate (UHD), is a teaching hospital and benefits from the expertise of Downstate’s exceptional medical school and world-class academic center research facilities. With a staff of over 800 physicians representing 53 specialties and subspecialties, Downstate offers comprehensive healthcare services to the community.

UHD provides high-risk neonatal and infant services, pediatric nephrology, and dialysis for kidney diseases and is the only kidney transplantation program in Brooklyn. Beyond its clinical expertise, Downstate houses a range of esteemed educational institutions, including its College of Medicine, College of Nursing, School of Health Professions, School of Graduate Studies, and School of Public Health. Downstate fosters innovation through its multifaceted biotechnology initiative, the Biotechnology Incubator and BioBAT, which support early-stage and more mature biotech companies.