What Patients Are Really Telling Us About the Use of AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) dominates health care conversations from conference stages to clinics to newsrooms. But the most instructive voices belong to patients going through treatment every day. Their experiences point to a consistent set of priorities: immediate acknowledgment, straightforward access to clinical expertise, and guidance that can be revisited or shared with family. Together, these signals demonstrate how AI can best serve patients by shaping workflows that align with real-life needs, reduce friction, and sustain engagement across all age groups, including older adults.

From patient behavior, a set of central questions emerges. Do people feel comfortable engaging with AI-mediated support during demanding courses of care? Which features foster trust and long-term use? How do convenience, privacy, and generational differences affect adoption? In our virtual care center, the answers appear repeatedly. A text-first approach matches everyday communication habits. Responses within minutes calm anxiety and create a sense of progress. Short, branching questions capture the essentials for a smooth clinical handoff. Patients understand that AI organizes information so clinicians can easily make decisions, and a persistent record in a familiar messaging thread not only preserves instructions but also offers a shared reference for families.

Common assumptions suggest that older adults struggle with digital engagement, yet our data tell a different story. Adults 65 years and older engage strongly with text-based support, with participation reaching 81% at 30 days and holding at 69% at 6 months. In fact, this cohort represents the largest share of active users. Patients’ comments explain why: Texting feels familiar, mirrors conversations with children and grandchildren, and requires no new apps or accounts. During treatment, that simplicity matters; we are meeting patients where they already spend their attention and energy.

This familiarity also changes the emotional tone of care. A text thread feels like an everyday conversation, lowering cognitive burden during stressful moments. Because it persists, patients can scroll back to dosing instructions, reminders about antinausea schedules, or “what to watch for” guidance. Family members can review the same thread, align on next steps, and join the loop even if they missed earlier messages. What starts as a single channel becomes triage intake, a memory bank for the care plan, and a bridge for caregivers.

AI Can Be Timely and Timeless

Timing matters as much as content. Symptom flares and practical questions rarely follow clinic hours: a rash reported at 11:47 pm or nausea at 5:30 am. With an AI-backed assistant available, patients receive immediate acknowledgment, and guided intake begins at once. Many report resolutions to their issues within 20 minutes. In contrast, voicemail often results in a return call 1 to 3 days later. The difference explains why patients gravitate to the faster channel. Quick acknowledgment reduces uncertainty, creates momentum, and reassures them that help is already on the way.

Speed gains clinical value when paired with structure. AI can ask patients focused questions on onset, severity, duration, recent changes, and current medications, and photos can be uploaded when useful. It can then compile a concise packet for the clinical team. When a nurse or nurse practitioner joins, they start with a clear snapshot rather than a blank page, shortening the path to a specific plan.

A recent case illustrates how minutes can change care. One of our patients reported a new facial rash, attached a photo, and answered a few guided prompts. The AI assembled the information and routed it to a nurse practitioner. Recognizing shingles near the eye, the clinician prescribed antiviral therapy and arranged an urgent in-person evaluation. The flow moved from acknowledgment to intake to rapid clinical action. Technology contributed speed and organization; clinicians provided judgment and follow-through.

Why Balancing AI and Human Intervention Is Imperative to Trust

Trust grows when the respective roles of AI and clinicians are clearly defined. Patients respond well when AI assistants consistently gather facts, structure them, and then hand them off to a clinical team empowered to make decisions. This division of labor not only preserves clinical judgment but also reassures patients that technology is supporting—not replacing—the human relationship. Tone also plays a role: Short, AI-generated affirmations at the right moments reinforce effective behaviors, such as timely outreach or adherence to supportive medications, helping patients feel seen even between visits.

How Patients Influence AI

Patients don’t just use AI, they shape it. Explicit feedback and long-term use patterns have refined the cadence and content of our AI-powered outreach. At Reimagine Care, we learned in earlier versions that 3 proactive check-ins per week felt burdensome, so we shifted to 2 check-ins that struck the right balance, showing that helpful AI feels light and purposeful, not intrusive. A group of patients continued with AI-assisted texting for more than a year, using the channel to check in before symptoms escalated, asking medication questions, and sharing updates during stressful times. This longevity reflects the daily usefulness of AI and demonstrates that patients return to channels they trust when health feels unpredictable.

Generational differences also show up in AI preferences. Younger adults often gravitate toward app-based designs with menus and visuals, whereas older adults prefer the directness of AI-powered text messages. Despite these differences, the consistent signal across ages is clear: Patients want AI that provides a fast, low-friction route to the right clinician at the right time.

Practical Lessons From Patient Voices

Every decision in AI design is an opportunity to demonstrate how much patients are valued. For instance, simple language, brief and flexible triage, and quick escalation show respect for their time and energy. Keeping instructions visible in an AI-backed communication thread helps patients stay oriented, and adjusting outreach frequency based on their feedback avoids overwhelming them. Most importantly, ongoing measurement keeps the system accountable. Tracking response times in minutes, maintaining engagement over 30, 90, and 180 days, and monitoring how quickly symptoms lead to interventions help prove that AI is delivering faster, safer care.

Patient lessons remain consistent. Older adults embrace AI-powered texting when it fits familiar habits, minute-scale acknowledgment eases anxiety, and role clarity builds trust. Feedback refines cadence, and long-term engagement shows durability. Privacy concerns diminish when AI’s purpose and oversight are transparent. Ultimately, patients describe AI not as a replacement but as a helper that ensures the right care from the right person, at the right time.

Listening to these signals creates a practical road map for integrating AI into cancer care and beyond. The goal is reliability over novelty, immediate usefulness over complexity. A text from AI should feel as natural as messaging with a friend, with the response acknowledging the concern, setting expectations, and moving toward a concrete next step. The triage sequence should finish quickly and deliver the information a clinician needs, with the entire experience reflecting a steady, supportive presence that spans nights, weekends, and the long intervals between visits.

When designed with patient voices in mind, AI extends human connection through speed, clarity, and thoughtful structure. It doesn’t replace compassion; it amplifies it, helping patients, families, and clinicians navigate difficult weeks with greater confidence and less strain.

Author Information

Amy Hillsman, MSN, ANP-BC, is senior director at the Virtual Care Center for Reimagine Care in Washington, DC, which uses technology to work with providers to deliver personalized cancer care beyond the clinic, improving outcomes and reducing unnecessary trips to the hospital.