Unprecedented advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are set to revolutionize patient care and transform patient-clinician relationships [1]. While current efforts focus on AI use by professionals to gain efficiencies and lower costs, there is limited attention on how patients use AI on their own or how AI use in health care could impact the patient experience. As health care costs and complexities rise, consumer use of AI is poised to accelerate.

The Journal of Participatory Medicine invites submissions for a new theme issue titled “Patient and Consumer Use of Artificial Intelligence for Health.” This theme issue will explore the use of AI for health (AIH) from the perspectives of patients and the public. The journal is seeking papers that examine (a) the experience and impact of patients and health consumers using AI applications, and (b) the involvement of patients, caregivers, and the public in the co-design and development of AIH.

The internet has democratized information and empowered patients and caregivers, and consumer use of AI promises unparalleled opportunities for self-care [2]. Yet, the dawn of AI brings new risks. Patients and the public at large must contribute to the development of AI at all stages, to ensure tools meet their needs and trust is garnered [3]. AIH must enhance, not threaten, human aspects of care or the clinician-patient relationship.

For this theme issue, we welcome original research, reviews, case studies, and viewpoints on insights on patient and public use of AIH. We seek articles that discuss benefits and risks of consumer AIH for self-care, innovation opportunities, and research gaps in the use of AIH by patients and the public. Articles jointly authored with patient advocates are especially welcome.

Theme issue topics include but are not limited to the following:

Research on the experience, value, and impact of patients and consumers actively using AI tools

● Explore how patients using generative AI, such as ChatGPT, learn about health issues, understand their health data, or consequently engage in self-care and change behavior.

● Examine, from the health consumer perspective, how AI chatbots, virtual assistants, or other tools answer queries, assess symptoms, or communicate with health professionals.

● Understand how AI-powered devices and applications that collect and analyze data are used by patients and how they can impact behavior and health outcomes.

Co-production and Co-design of AI tools with patients, health consumers, and the public

● Meaningful involvement or consultation of patients and caregivers with lived experience, in the design, development or deployment of AI applications for specific health issues.

● Meaningful involvement or consultation of patients and caregivers with lived experience, in the research of health-related AI applications.

● Democratic deliberation of the public to address key issues of health-related AI, such as privacy, security, ethics, data bias, governance, and the responsible use of personal health data.

Research on the clinical use of AI tools that interact directly with patients and/or caregivers

● Examine, from the patient perspective, the use of clinician-derived AI tools that are directed at the patient and caregiver, such as sending AI-derived content to respond to patients’ secure emails.

How to Submit

Please submit to the Journal of Participatory Medicine, selecting the journal section “Patient and Consumer Use of Artificial Intelligence for Health.”

Submit Now

Submission Guidelines

All submissions will undergo a rigorous peer-review process, and accepted articles will be published in a theme issue (e-collection) titled “Patient and Consumer Use of Artificial Intelligence for Health.”

Submissions not accepted for publication in this Journal of Participatory Medicine theme issue (e-collection) may be offered cascading peer review or transfer to other JMIR Publications journals, according to standard publisher policies. Alternatively, editors may consider mission-aligned submissions for publication in Journal of Participatory Medicine apart from the theme issue. Authors are encouraged to submit study protocols or grant proposals to JMIR Research Protocols before data acquisition to preregister the study (as “registered reports”—subsequent acceptance in one of the JMIR Publications journals is then guaranteed).

All articles submitted to this theme issue will be shared and published rapidly through the following mechanisms:

● All peer-reviewed articles in this theme issue will be immediately and permanently made open access. This is the standard for all titles within the JMIR Publications portfolio.

● Articles can be made immediately available in JMIR Preprints (with a DOI) after submission if authors select the preprint option at submission to enable this service

Submission deadline is October 31, 2024

Guest Editors:

Laura Adams, MS, Senior Advisor, National Academy of Medicine

Grace Cordovano, PhD, Board-certified Patient Advocate; Founder, Enlightening Results; Co-Founder, Unblock Health

Sarah Greene, MPH, Chair, MedStar Research Institute Board; former Executive Director, Health Care Systems Research Network

References

1. Goldberg CB, Adams L, Blumenthal D, et al. To do no harm — and the most good — with AI in health care. Nat Med. Feb 22, 2024;30(3):623-627. [doi: 10.1038/s41591-024-02853-7]

2. Lee K, Hoti K, Hughes Jd, Emmerton L. Dr Google is here to stay but health care professionals are still valued: an analysis of health care consumers’ internet navigation support preferences. J Med Internet Res. Feb 22, 2017;19(6):e210-627. [doi: 10.2196/jmir.7489]

3. Meskó B, deBronkart D. Patient design: The importance of including patients in designing health care. J Med Internet Res Aug 31, 2022;24(8):e39178-627. [doi: 10.2196/39178]

This paper is in the following e-collection/theme issue:

The Participatory Zeitgeist in Health Care: It is Time for a Science of Participation

The Participatory Zeitgeist in Health Care: It is Time for a Science of Participation