Patients and the future: training day with Nicoletta Vulpetti
A stimulating day in the company of representatives from some of Italy's most important patient associations. On 23 January, a training session was held at Città Educativa in Rome as part of the Patients and the Future project, made possible thanks to the unconditional contribution of the MSD Foundation. The initiative aims to strengthen the digital skills of those who deal with health information and communication on a daily basis.
The focus of the meeting was not artificial intelligence itself, but a lively dialogue between trainer Nicoletta Vulpetti and participants on all the potential and risks of the technology. The goal: to minimise the dangers associated with naive and overly trusting use of AI, but also to showcase all its opportunities. The importance of accessible and inclusive language was explored, as was the conscious use of technology to prevent health misinformation, particularly with regard to fake news and health biases.
‘Technology is powerful and we need to know how to use it in the most appropriate way, which is why we are committed to projects such as these, aimed at improving knowledge and providing tools for guidance. Today, this opportunity is also valuable for creating connections between patient associations, all representing different areas and therefore potentially synergistic,’ commented Claudia Rutigliano, scientific coordinator of the MSD Foundation.
The activity was divided into two parts. In the first part, the functioning of generative AI and the use of machine learning for self-diagnosis were analysed: health responses without the intermediation of a doctor are dangerous. The clues that machines sow in their texts, which make them recognisable, were also illustrated.
In the second, more practical phase, participants tried their hand at recognising self-diagnosis answers provided by AI, identifying their weaknesses. In this way, the participants, all from patient associations, will be more confident in recognising the requests they receive. Five simulated exercises, each on a different condition (diabetes, breast cancer, haematological and liver diseases, allergies), provided concrete tools for dealing with the requests that associations receive every day with greater awareness.
Together with trainer Nicoletta Vulpetti, the day's participants reaffirmed the fundamental principle that technology does not replace relationships or human expertise, but complements and enhances them when used with awareness. AI cannot generate relationships and therefore always requires the guidance and judgement of people, especially when verifying the reliability of information. Hence the importance of relying on human skills in reading the content returned by AI.
Artificial intelligence can offer particularly useful support in the early stages of a project, as a starting point for creating presentations, proposing video scripts and organising materials. Its strength lies in its speed of analysis and its ability to handle large amounts of information.
However, human expertise, particularly clinical expertise, remains essential for everything related to diagnosis, decisions and patient relations: the complexity of human beings cannot be reduced to a few pieces of data. For this reason, AI should be seen as an ally of professionals, not a substitute.
It is also essential to use AI responsibly, protecting sensitive data and safeguarding privacy.
The clear message that emerged at the end of the day's work is that AI has great potential as a tool for improving work organisation and statistical data analysis, but there is an important challenge to be overcome: successfully integrating and balancing the power of technology with the value of human expertise.
Participants
- Flori Degrassi, president of Andos Nazionale
- Francesco Silvia, employee and EpaC representative for the Lazio Region
- Silvia Gregory, Vice-President of Acto Italia
- Mariavita Ciccarone, President of the Gemme Dormienti association
- Alessandra Veronese, patient advocate, Aised
- Raffaella Sirena, Head of Press Office, Gemme Dormienti ETS
- Elena Ruggeri, digital specialist, Komen Italia
Valeria Foniciello, institutional programmes and mission officer, Komen Italia (Think Pink Italy ETS)Angela Vigoroso, head of the Reggio Calabria branch of Salute Donna OdVEtty Elein Estela Escalante, health project manager at Cittadinanzattiva APSRosa Ioren Napoli, Respiriamo Insieme Aps
The story is by Onelia Onorati, press office of the Fondazione Mondo Digitale.
