Κapa3 at IEEE CBMS 2026 | AI for Equitable Oncology Information

Kapa3 at IEEE CBMS 2026: Artificial Intelligence in Support of Equitable Patient Information in Oncology Care

New scientific publication in the Proceedings of the 39th IEEE International Symposium on Computer-Based Medical Systems

The voice and lived experience of patients must remain at the centre of the emerging era of Artificial Intelligence in healthcare.

Kapa3 – Cancer Guidance Centre contributes to a new scientific publication presented in the Proceedings of the 2026 IEEE 39th International Symposium on Computer-Based Medical Systems (CBMS), focusing on how Artificial Intelligence and Retrieval-Augmented Generation can support more equitable, reliable and patient-centred access to information in oncology.

The paper, entitled:

“Informed, Empowered, and Heard: AI and Retrieval-Augmented Generation as Tools for Equitable Patient Information in Oncology”

is authored by Lars Münter, Evangeli Bista, Maria Lavdaniti and Christos Frantzidis, with Evangeli Bista representing Kapa3 as Co-founder.

From access to information to meaningful patient empowerment

A cancer diagnosis creates an immediate need for information that is reliable, understandable and relevant to the individual patient.

At the same time, patients and their families are often expected to understand complex medical terminology, treatment options, prognosis discussions and administrative procedures at a moment of intense psychological and emotional pressure.

The paper highlights that acute stress associated with a serious diagnosis can affect working memory, attention and the ability to process new information. This means that patient information cannot be designed for an ideal, fully attentive reader; it must respond to the real cognitive and emotional conditions experienced by people facing cancer.

The key question is therefore not simply:

“How much information do we provide?”

but rather:

“Are we providing the right information, at the right time, in a form that people can understand and act upon?”

AI and Retrieval-Augmented Generation: towards trustworthy and evidence-grounded information

The publication places particular emphasis on Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG).

RAG architectures combine the generative capabilities of large language models with the retrieval of information from curated and verified knowledge sources. In a healthcare setting, this can include clinical guidelines, validated patient information resources, regulatory documents and peer-reviewed literature.

This approach offers an important advantage over purely generative AI systems: responses can be grounded in identifiable sources, supporting greater transparency and enabling patients and healthcare professionals to verify where information comes from.

In oncology, this is especially important.

A patient does not simply need a quick answer. They need information that is:

accurate, current, understandable, accessible and appropriate to their individual situation.

Artificial Intelligence as a tool for equity

One of the central themes of the paper is inequality in access to high-quality oncology information.

Geography, language, socioeconomic circumstances, health literacy, digital literacy and access to specialised healthcare services can significantly influence a person’s ability to understand their diagnosis, treatment options and rights.

The publication pays particular attention to the Greek context, where patients living in large urban centres may experience a very different information environment from those living in rural, remote or island communities.

When equity is treated as a core design principle, AI-RAG systems can potentially support:

multilingual access to health information,
different levels of language and information complexity,
voice-based interfaces,
shorter and more manageable units of information,
low-bandwidth or offline-capable solutions,
and opportunities for patients to return to information when they are ready to process it.

Technology alone, however, does not create equity.

The way technology is designed determines whether it reduces existing inequalities or reproduces them.

Designed with patients, for patient needs

The paper calls for an important shift in the way digital health systems are developed.

Many traditional health information systems are designed primarily around institutional or clinical workflows, with patient-facing communication added later.

For patient-centred AI, this logic must be reversed.

Systems should be designed with patients and around patient needs, with patients and informal carers actively involved in shaping the knowledge base, the questions the system is expected to answer and the ways information is presented.

This also means moving beyond systems that simply respond to individual questions.

A meaningful AI-supported information environment could help patients prepare for clinical consultations, organise their questions, understand the next steps in their care and become more aware of their rights.

The paper highlights applications such as consultation preparation guides, question prompts before appointments and post-consultation summaries as examples of how technology can support patients before, during and after important healthcare interactions.

AI should strengthen, not replace, human relationships

Perhaps the most important message of the publication is that the transformative potential of AI in oncology is not primarily technical. It is relational.

Artificial Intelligence should not create distance between patients and healthcare professionals.

It should help strengthen their communication.

A better-informed patient can arrive at a clinical consultation more prepared, identify questions and concerns more clearly, participate more actively in shared decision-making and communicate more effectively with the healthcare team.

The same applies to informal carers, who often carry a significant part of the informational and emotional burden of cancer care.

For this reason, the paper argues that AI-RAG systems should be designed to strengthen the relationship between patients, carers and healthcare professionals, rather than to replace any part of this human network of care.

For healthcare professionals, trustworthy information systems may also reduce the time required for basic information provision, allowing more of the clinical encounter to focus on nuanced discussions, decision-making and the human aspects of care that technology cannot replicate.

From information to trust

This scientific contribution adds to an increasingly important discussion about the future of healthcare:

How can Artificial Intelligence be developed and used in ways that genuinely respond to human needs?

The answer does not lie only in more powerful AI models or larger volumes of data.

It also lies in evidence, transparency, accessibility, co-design, equity and respect for patient rights.

As the paper concludes, people affected by cancer in Greece and across Europe deserve access to information that is accurate, personalised, accessible and respectful of their rights, regardless of where they live, the language they speak or the socioeconomic resources available to them.

For Kapa3, participating in this scientific discussion also reflects a broader commitment: ensuring that real patient needs, lived experience and equitable access are represented in the design and evaluation of the next generation of digital health and AI-supported tools.

Publication details

Title: Informed, Empowered, and Heard: AI and Retrieval-Augmented Generation as Tools for Equitable Patient Information in Oncology

Authors: Lars Münter, Evangeli Bista, Maria Lavdaniti, Christos Frantzidis

Published in: 2026 IEEE 39th International Symposium on Computer-Based Medical Systems (CBMS)

DOI: 10.1109/CBMS69103.2026.00302

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Kapa3 joins PERIFORMANCE: From Information to Trust in Cancer Care

Kapa3 – Cancer Guidance Centre is pleased to announce that its proposal, “From Information to Trust: MYRTO Patient & Citizen Lab for Equal Access in Cancer Care,” has been selected for funding under the PERIFORMANCE Open Call for Bottom-Up Stakeholder Engagement Initiatives in Cancer Research & Care.

The initiative places patients, caregivers, healthcare and social care professionals, civil society organisations and local communities at the heart of the process, creating a participatory framework for the ethical, trustworthy and inclusive use of AI-enabled cancer navigation.

Putting patients and citizens at the centre

The project is closely linked to MYRTO, Kapa3’s AI-enabled digital social assistant designed to support people affected by cancer in navigating health, social care, administrative procedures and rights-related information.

PERIFORMANCE funding will not support the core technical development of MYRTO. Instead, the project will focus on building the participatory, educational and ethical layer around the tool, ensuring that its future development is shaped by the real needs, experiences and expectations of the people who will use it.

This approach reflects a key principle for Kapa3: technology should not replace human care. When designed responsibly, however, it can become a powerful tool for improving access, empowerment and equality.

From local communities to a national dialogue

The engagement pathway will include regional listening activities, a thematic focus on vulnerable and underrepresented groups, and a central MYRTO Patient & Citizen Lab in Athens.

Particular attention will be given to caregivers, older patients, migrants, people with disabilities, people with low health or digital literacy, socially vulnerable groups and people living far from specialised oncology services.

The Athens Lab will be integrated into Kapa3’s national conference “Equality in Access”, creating a space for synthesising regional experiences, identifying trust criteria and collecting patient and caregiver perspectives on AI-supported navigation.

What does trust in AI-supported cancer navigation mean?

At the heart of the project lies a fundamental question:

What does a person need in order to trust a digital tool during one of the most sensitive periods of their life?

Through co-creation and stakeholder engagement, the initiative will explore issues such as:

reliability and clarity of information,
data protection and privacy,
accessibility and digital inclusion,
responsible use of Artificial Intelligence,
prevention of bias and exclusion,
human oversight,
and clear referral pathways to appropriate professionals when human support is needed.

Bringing together science, civil society and lived experience

Kapa3 will coordinate the initiative and lead its design, implementation, facilitation, patient and community outreach, dissemination and reporting.

The project will be supported by a multidisciplinary academic and scientific collaboration network involving the International Hellenic University – Department of Nursing, University of West Attica – Department of Occupational Therapy, Democritus University of Thrace – Department of Social Work, and University of the Peloponnese – Department of Nursing. simasiaAI will provide technical support for MYRTO-related digital materials and the AI navigation environment.

The project is expected to produce practical resources including a Patient Guidance Toolkit, a Trust & Human Escalation Checklist, a Training and Dissemination Package, and an Engagement & Trust Report.

From information to trust

For Kapa3, participation in PERIFORMANCE marks another step towards ensuring that the patient voice is present not only when new services and technologies are evaluated, but from the very beginning of their design.

With MYRTO, the question is no longer simply:

“How can we provide more information?”

It is increasingly:

“How can we turn information into understanding, trust, safety and real access?”

Because responsible digital health innovation begins with people.

Evangeli Bista Joins the PATH Expert Group as an Independent Expert: Bringing the Patient Perspective into the New Era of AI in Cancer Care

A new contribution to the European dialogue on safe, responsible and human-centred Artificial Intelligence in healthcare

Evangeli Bista, Co-founder and Head of Operations and Development of Kapa3 – Cancer Guidance Centre, has been invited to join the Expert Group of the European research and innovation project PATH – Patient AI Treatment Hub as an independent expert.

Her participation is undertaken in a personal and independent capacity, with her professional affiliation to Kapa3 – Cancer Guidance Centre, creating an opportunity to bring into the European dialogue experience gained through direct engagement with people affected by cancer, survivors, caregivers and healthcare professionals. The PATH Terms explicitly define Expert Group members as acting independently rather than as partners, employees, agents or subcontractors of the Consortium.

What is PATH – Patient AI Treatment Hub?

PATH – Patient AI Treatment Hub is a European research and innovation project focused on supporting the safe and effective integration of Artificial Intelligence into cancer care through the development of a secure, interoperable and privacy-preserving digital platform.

The project aims to explore how Artificial Intelligence tools can be safely integrated into cancer-care pathways, supporting healthcare professionals and contributing to more personalised approaches while safeguarding privacy and health data.

At the heart of this effort lies a critical question:

How can technological innovation create meaningful value for patients while preserving trust, human oversight, safety and equity?

Participation in the PATH Expert Group

As a member of the PATH Expert Group, Evangeli Bista will contribute independent expertise, opinions, input, comments and feedback in relation to selected project use cases and activities.

The experience developed through Kapa3’s work can contribute to discussions around issues such as:

patient-centred cancer care,
patient navigation across health and social-care systems,
equitable access to information and services,
health and digital literacy,
health and social rights,
responsible use and protection of health data,
transparency and human oversight in Artificial Intelligence systems,
meaningful involvement of patients and civil society in technology design,
and translating technological innovation into real value for people.

Why the Patient Voice Must Be Part of Innovation

Artificial Intelligence is creating new possibilities for healthcare and cancer care. At the same time, its growing use raises important questions concerning trust, transparency, safety, equitable access and human oversight.

For Kapa3, the development of a digital solution cannot begin solely with the question of what is technologically possible.

It must also ask:

What does the patient actually need?

Can people understand the information they receive?

Do they know where that information comes from?

Can they trust the system?

Is it clear when Artificial Intelligence is being used and when human professional judgement is required?

Could digital inequalities lead to new inequalities in healthcare?

And ultimately, does innovation genuinely improve the experience and pathway of a person facing cancer?

These are questions that we believe should remain at the centre of the European discussion on Artificial Intelligence in healthcare.

Kapa3’s experience in digital health

Evangeli Bista’s participation in the PATH Expert Group comes at a time when Kapa3 is systematically expanding its work in digital health, patient navigation and the responsible use of emerging technologies to support people affected by cancer.

This broader work also includes MYRTO – Digital Navigator for Health and Social Rights, an independent Kapa3 initiative developed to help transform complex and often fragmented information on rights, benefits and administrative procedures into more accessible, structured and evidence-based guidance for patients and caregivers.

MYRTO is not part of PATH, and the two initiatives are independent from one another.

However, the experience of developing patient-facing digital services has reinforced several principles that Kapa3 considers essential:

reliable information, transparent sources, understandable communication, data protection, human oversight and a clear pathway to professional support when technology alone is not enough.

This distinction is also important from an intellectual-property perspective, since the PATH Terms preserve intellectual property that exists independently of the Expert’s Services and is not incorporated into PATH Contributions.

From information to trust

Digital transformation in healthcare is not simply about more data, more algorithms or more applications.

It is about creating greater understanding, better access and stronger trust.

For a person facing cancer, information has value when it can be translated into a meaningful next step.

Technology has value when it reduces — rather than increases — complexity.

And Artificial Intelligence has value when it strengthens, rather than replaces, human care, professional judgement and the patient’s ability to participate meaningfully in decisions affecting their life and health.

A new opportunity to contribute to the European dialogue

For Kapa3, the invitation to Evangeli Bista to participate as an independent expert in the PATH Expert Group represents an important opportunity to bring into the European dialogue experience, needs and concerns emerging from the real-world context of cancer care and patient support.

The objective remains clear:

Artificial Intelligence in healthcare should advance with safety, transparency, responsibility, equitable access and meaningful involvement of the people it is designed to serve.

Because innovation creates real value when it is designed with people and for people.

PATH – Patient AI Treatment Hub | At a glance

Field: Artificial Intelligence and data in cancer care
Project: PATH – Patient AI Treatment Hub
Focus: Safe and effective integration of AI into cancer care through secure, interoperable and privacy-preserving approaches.
Expert Group: Independent external experts providing expertise, opinions, input, comments and feedback to the Project.
Independent Expert: Evangeli Bista
Professional role: Co-founder & Head of Operations and Development
Affiliation: Kapa3 – Cancer Guidance Centre

Newsletter Kapa3| June 2026,From survivorship to quality of life — from information to support — from technology to human-centred care.

May was a month of important developments, scientific outreach and service enhancement for Kapa3. From the new European scientific publication of the MELODIC project and educational participation in international networks, to the development of “Myrto”, the creation of a new Psychological Support Team and support through social and corporate initiatives, Kapa3 continues to bring together knowledge, technology, human care and social action.

Our mission remains focused on equal access for cancer patients and their caregivers to information, rights, services and meaningful support.

1. June: Cancer Survivors Month

June is dedicated to people living with and beyond cancer. Survivorship is not only the end of treatment; it is continuity, adaptation, reintegration, psychosocial support, quality of life and the right to care beyond therapy.

▸ EN: https://www.kapa3.gr/en/june-cancer-survivors-month-title-sep-sitename/

2. Kapa3 Introduces Its New Psychological Support Team

On the occasion of Mental Health Awareness Month and Cancer Survivors Month, Kapa3 introduces its new Psychological Support Team: a safe space for listening, support and empowerment for patients, survivors, caregivers and families.

▸ CONTACT US https://www.kapa3.gr/en/kapa3-introduces-its-new-psychological-support-team/

3. New MELODIC Scientific Publication on the Mental Health of Young Adults with Cancer

Mental health is an integral part of cancer care, particularly for young adults facing the complex challenges of a cancer diagnosis. Kapa3 contributes to the new scientific publication of the European MELODIC project, highlighting the educational needs of healthcare professionals.

▸ READ THE ARTICLE

4. Digital Health and Cancer Survivorship: Kapa3 at the INE-CSC 2026 Conference in Coimbra

Kapa3 participated in the INE-CSC 2026 Conference in Coimbra, contributing to the European dialogue on cancer survivorship, supportive care, digital health and participatory solutions that respond to the real needs of patients and caregivers.

▸ READ THE ARTICL Ehttps://www.kapa3.gr/en/participation-in-ca21152-implementation-network-europe-for-cancer-survivorship-care/

5. Co-creating Myrto: A Digital Health and Rights Navigator for Oncology Patients

Myrto is designed as a digital health and rights navigator — a Patient Empowerment e-Navigator — that goes beyond information provision to guide, support and evolve according to users’ real needs.

▸ READ THE ARTICLE https://www.kapa3.gr/en/myrto-health-navigator-oncology-patients-greece/

6. Learning by Doing: Participation in the European Service Learning 2.0: CoLab Programme

Kapa3 participated in the European programme Service Learning 2.0: CoLab, an initiative connecting academic knowledge with meaningful social action and highlighting collaboration between universities, civil society organisations and community actors.

▸ FIND OUT MOREhttps://www.kapa3.gr/en/learning-by-doing-participation-in-the-european-service-learning-2-0-colab-programme/

7. Alpha Bank and Its Employees Support Kapa3 through the Match for Good Initiative

Through the Match for Good initiative, Alpha Bank and its employees supported Kapa3, strengthening our mission to stand alongside people affected by cancer, their families and caregivers.

▸ FIND OUT MORE https://www.kapa3.gr/en/i-alpha-bank-kai-oi-ergazomenoi-tis-stirizoyn-to-kapa3-kai-tin-isotimi-prosvasi-stin-ypostirixi-ton-ogkologikon-asthenon/

8. 6 Awards for Kapa3 at the 4th Vouliagmeni Summer Crossing: Is There Such a Thing as a “Lonely Race”?

Kapa3 took part in the 4th Vouliagmeni Summer Crossing, sharing a strong message of participation, resilience, empowerment and solidarity. Even when a race seems individual, it does not have to be lonely.

Newsletter closing note

If this newsletter reached you through forwarding or another source, subscribe today to receive reliable updates, news and useful information directly in your inbox.

Support our work and help us continue to provide information, guidance and support to patients and their families.

▸ SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSLETTER

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Participation in CA21152 – Implementation Network Europe for Cancer Survivorship Care

Digital Health and Cancer Survivorship: Kapa3 at the INE-CSC 2026 Conference in Coimbra

The Cancer Guidance Center – Kapa3 participated in the INE-CSC 2026 Conference, part of CA21152 – Implementation Network Europe for Cancer Survivorship Care (INE-CSC), held on 25–26 May 2026 at the Faculty of Medicine (Polo III), University of Coimbra, in Coimbra, Portugal.

The conference was held under the theme “The Next Chapter – Empowering Individuals, Families, and Society for Cancer Survivorship & Supportive Care”, highlighting the need for new approaches to cancer survivorship, supportive care and the translation of innovation into real-world impact for people living with and beyond cancer, their families and society.

Kapa3’s presence in Coimbra represents another important step in its European engagement and in its ongoing effort to connect everyday experience in supporting cancer patients in Greece with European knowledge, research, digital innovation and health policy.

A key highlight was the participation in a round table discussion on facilitators and barriers to the implementation of digital health tools in oncology. The discussion was co-organised by Aristea Kyriaki Ladas and Christos Frantzidis and brought together voices from different European countries and organisations, including representatives from Kapa3, Acreditar Portugal, Liga Portuguesa Contra o Cancro, ORCO / Madrid Regional Ministry of Health, as well as participants from Poland, Latvia and the United Kingdom.

Among the participants in the round table were Yannis Kontogiorgis and Despoina Pistiolis from Kapa3, Greece, contributing to the European dialogue on digital health, oncology navigation and the participatory development of solutions that respond to the real needs of patients and caregivers.

One of the key messages of the discussion was that digital innovation in oncology is not only a technological challenge. It is also a matter of policy, implementation, equity, trust and accessibility.

For digital tools to make a meaningful difference in cancer care and survivorship, they cannot remain isolated applications or pilot projects. They need to become part of real care pathways, be supported by appropriate policy environments, connect with interdisciplinary practice and be evaluated in terms of effectiveness, implementation readiness, accessibility, equity, sustainability and value.

The discussion also highlighted that digital tools must be designed around the real needs of patients and survivors, not only around technical possibilities. Accessibility across countries, languages, healthcare systems and levels of digital and health literacy must be built in from the beginning.

The role of patient organisations and cancer support communities was also identified as essential. These organisations can act as a bridge between technological innovation and the everyday reality of people affected by cancer. They understand the questions, barriers, fears and needs that are often not fully captured by formal care systems.

For Kapa3, this participation is directly linked to the development of Myrto, its digital health and rights navigator, designed as a tool for empowerment, guidance and support for cancer patients and their caregivers.

Myrto is not approached as a simple information tool. It is being designed as a participatory intervention built around the real needs of people with lived experience of cancer. It is connected to access to rights, social benefits, services, practical guidance and human escalation whenever needed.

The Coimbra experience strengthened the view that digital health must be human-centred, accessible, trustworthy and integrated into a broader ecosystem of care. Technology can meaningfully support cancer care only when it is designed with participation, trust, clear purpose and an equity-oriented approach.

Cancer survivorship is not only about completing treatment. It is about quality of life, mental health, social reintegration, work, family, everyday life, access to services and the feeling that no person is left alone after diagnosis or treatment.

Through its participation in European networks such as INE-CSC, Kapa3 continues to contribute to the dialogue on more equitable, participatory and person-centred cancer care. Care that uses technology without losing sight of the human being at its centre.

The future of cancer support will not depend only on better digital tools, but on better collaboration between patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, researchers, technology partners, patient organisations and policymakers.

For Kapa3, this is at the heart of its mission: transforming knowledge into action, technology into support, and the voice of patients into services that respond to their real needs.

More information: INE-CSC – Implementation Network Europe for Cancer Survivorship Care.More information:
https://inecancersurvivorship.com

Kapa3 announces collaboration with SimasiaAI for the development of the Health Navigator “Myrto” (Myrto AI Assistant)

The Kapa3 – Cancer Guidance Center announces its collaboration with SimasiaAI, for the co-development of the Health Navigator “Myrto” (Myrto AI Assistant), an artificial intelligence (AI chatbot) designed to enhance digital cancer support for patients with cancer and their families through immediate, reliable, and personalized information.

This initiative is part of Kapa3’s strategic focus on leveraging innovative digital tools to improve access to information, strengthen guidance, and reduce the digital gap often faced by vulnerable groups in the healthcare sector.

The Health Navigator “Myrto” is not just an information tool, but a new form of social artificial intelligence in cancer care support in Greece. It is designed to transform digital information into a more human, accessible, and meaningful experience, allowing users to interact, receive guidance, and access support tailored to their needs.

Through its dual role as a “Patient Empowerment e-Navigator”, the system will function both as a Patient Advocate—providing guidance on patient rights, benefits, and access to healthcare and social services—and as a Health Navigator, offering reliable information to support better understanding and self-management of health-related issues.

At the same time, the Health Navigator “Myrto” aims to enhance health literacy, support the psychosocial dimension of the disease, and highlight available community resources, contributing to the reduction of inequalities in access to information.

Kapa3, with its long-standing experience in guiding and supporting cancer patients, continues to invest in initiatives that promote equal access to information and digital empowerment, utilizing technology with a strong social and human-centered approach.

The collaboration between Kapa3 and SimasiaAI leads to the development and integration of the Health Navigator “Myrto” into Kapa3’s platform, highlighting the importance of cooperation between social organizations and technology providers in creating innovative digital support tools for cancer patients. Through this initiative, the goal is to meaningfully empower patients, support healthcare professionals, and advance more human-centered digital services.

The development of the Health Navigator “Myrto” marks an important step toward a new model of digital care, where artificial intelligence complements human support, enhancing the quality of life of patients and their families.

The Founding Sponsor of the “Myrto”Health Navigator is the TIMA Foundation.

Our Press Release text here: PRESS RELEASE SIMASIA AI

Text: Ifiyenia Anastasiou for Kapa3

Kapa3 at the “Facing the Challenge of Artificial Intelligence” Event

On March 11, 2026, Kapa3 co-founder Evangeli Bista and the organization’s collaborator, Christos Frantzidis, senior lecturer at the School of Computer Science, University of Lincoln, attended with keen interest the event “Facing the Challenge of Artificial Intelligence”, organized by diaNEOsis at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center Lighthouse, marking 10 years of the organization’s work.

The event highlighted, through presentations and discussions, key topics regarding Artificial Intelligence (AI), including: what AI is and the concerns it raises, social impacts and inequalities it may create, ethical and responsible use, effects on work and productivity, and the challenges in legislation and technology regulation.

As Evangeli Bista noted on her social media, AI remains a field full of questions:

What exactly is Artificial Intelligence?
What concerns are emerging around it?

“Technology without thought can reinforce the greatest inequalities,” she emphasized, adding that the conversation on ethical and scientifically informed access to technology remains open. The event offered the chance to see “the next day… through the eyes of those who pioneered it,” such as Joseph Sifakis (Turing Award 2007) and Christos Papadimitriou.

Kapa3’s participation focused on observing, absorbing knowledge, and supporting dialogue around the challenges and opportunities of AI, with particular attention to the social dimension and the inequalities it may create.

By attending this event, Kapa3 continues to demonstrate its commitment to technological developments, the importance of informed and responsible discussion, and understanding the social and ethical implications of Artificial Intelligence.

Artificial Intelligence in Medicine: Why Horizontal Skills Are More Critical Than Ever

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming clinical decision-making, healthcare professional education, and overall care delivery. Yet a recent international review highlights a crucial point: as AI tools become more integral, horizontal skills (soft skills) such as empathy, communication, critical thinking, and ethical judgment are more important than ever.

These competencies enable healthcare professionals to interpret algorithmic outputs, maintain patient trust, ensure safe care, and integrate technology responsibly into clinical practice. Understanding and fostering these skills is essential for building a healthcare workforce that remains human-centered in an AI-driven era.

The review is authored solely by Effie Simou, Associate Professor of Communication and Media in Public Health at the University of West Attica, and examines the role of horizontal skills in the modern, technology-enhanced healthcare environment. By synthesizing international literature, it analyzes how professional responsibility, teamwork, cultural sensitivity, and ethical judgment impact care quality and safety in an era where artificial intelligence plays an ever more active role.

A “Skills Ecosystem” Rather Than a List of Competencies

The review does not treat these skills as isolated capabilities but as an interdependent ecosystem. Communication strengthens trust, empathy improves patient adherence, critical thinking acts as a counterbalance to uncritical acceptance of algorithmic recommendations, while professionalism and ethical vigilance ensure accountability.

The key argument is clear: technological progress does not make horizontal skills less important—it makes them essential. In an environment where algorithms support diagnosis, predict risks, or suggest treatment strategies, healthcare professionals are called upon to interpret, evaluate, and ultimately take responsibility for the decisions made.

Human Judgment Is Not Replaced. It Is Strengthened—and Tested.

Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and the Risks of Uncritical Trust in Technology

Particular emphasis is placed on the risks arising from excessive trust in AI systems. The so-called “automation bias” can lead to reduced critical vigilance, while the complexity of algorithms may hinder understanding of how their recommendations are generated.

Large language models and AI tools can also produce inaccurate or incomplete information persuasively. In a clinical setting, such misleading certainty can have serious consequences.

In this context, artificial intelligence in medicine cannot function autonomously; it requires active and critical human oversight. Critical thinking, transparency, and clear responsibility allocation become absolutely necessary. The final decision regarding patient care cannot be delegated to an algorithm. Responsibility remains human—a fundamental principle for the ethics of medical practice.

The Patient Relationship Dimension

Technology can enhance accuracy, accelerate processes, and support the management of large data volumes. However, it cannot replace the therapeutic relationship. Trust, clear communication, active listening, and recognition of patients’ emotional needs are elements that cannot be coded.

Especially in fields like oncology, where decisions are complex and the emotional burden high, the quality of communication can significantly influence treatment adherence, understanding of options, and overall care experience.

The review emphasizes that human presence is not supplementary to technology—it is the axis around which it must be organized.

Toward a Balanced Human–Algorithm Coexistence

The study’s conclusion is clear: health professional education must integrate both technological literacy and systematic development of horizontal skills. Knowing how an AI tool works is not enough; one must be able to critically evaluate it, explain its limitations, and integrate it responsibly into clinical practice.

In an era where algorithms are becoming increasingly “intelligent,” empathy, responsibility, and critical thinking are not secondary skills—they are the core of a medical practice that seeks to remain human, reliable, and safe.

Ultimately, the question is not whether artificial intelligence will be integrated into medicine—it already has been. The real challenge is under what terms it will coexist with the human factor. As technology advances at geometric speed, education must equally invest in skills that cannot be automated: the ability to listen, to question, and to take responsibility.

The challenge for artificial intelligence in medicine is not only technological but deeply pedagogical and ethical. Perhaps the greatest stake is not to create “smarter” systems but more conscious professionals. As algorithms evolve, so does the need for medicine to remain fundamentally human.

Source
The Growing Importance of Soft Skills in Medical Education in the AI Era, MDPI, 2024.
Available at: https://www.mdpi.com/2813-141X/4/4/50

Text/adaptation: Ifiyenia Anastasiou for Kapa3

The “Myrto” Health Navigator : A New Era of Digital Support for Oncology Patients

The “Myrto” Health Navigator brings digital and AI-powered care closer to oncology patients, supporting personalization and equitable access to services.

On the occasion of the recent initiatives implemented by Kapa3 in the context of World Cancer Day, our organization once again highlighted the importance of access, empowerment, and meaningful support for oncology patients. Through awareness actions and public engagement, we reaffirmed our commitment to strengthening patients’ voices and improving their everyday reality.

Throughout its journey, Kapa3 has consistently demonstrated its dedication to supporting oncology patients by bridging gaps in information, accessibility, and social care. Building on this experience, we are now taking the next step forward.

After five years of continuous presence in empowering oncology patients through digital guidance, Kapa3 is expanding its footprint in the field of social accessibility by creating an innovative digital assistant: “Myrto.”
“Myrto” addresses the phenomenon of second-level digital exclusion, transforming digital information into a human, accessible, and meaningful experience. It represents the first Social Artificial Intelligence application in the field of social welfare for oncology patients in Greece.

It goes beyond providing information: it converses, guides, and evolves according to users’ real needs, with an emphasis on both accessibility and psychosocial support.

Our aim is to develop a fully functional chatbot integrated into the Kapa3 website, to train social workers and healthcare professionals in its use, and to substantially reduce the digital divide for vulnerable groups.

“Myrto” will offer holistic and personalized guidance to oncology patients as a true Patient Empowerment e-Navigator, through two main pillars:

Patient Advocate: Support with legal and administrative procedures (benefits, patient rights), facilitation of access to social welfare services, and guidance within the local healthcare system.
Health Navigator: Provision of essential information for health self-management.

At the same time, the platform will enhance communication, highlight available community resources, and incorporate an innovative health literacy assessment tool, enabling full personalization of the services provided.

The project will be developed, tested, and validated by oncology patients as well as by social workers, legal and financial experts, and consultants in health communication and psychology, both in person and online across Greece.

Your participation could substantially contribute to co-creating a personalized Navigator for every oncology patient, as a multidisciplinary perspective is a key factor in the project’s success.

Upon completion, we expect significant social, health, and scientific impact: improved patient quality of life, strengthened self-management, reduced resource requirements, and the creation of a network of experts and informed patients and professionals.

The Founding Sponsor of the “Myrto”Health Navigator is the TIMA Foundation.

We invite organizations, professionals, and stakeholders to become partners in this new chapter of the “Myrto” Health Navigator by Kapa3 and contribute to building a more accessible, inclusive, and patient-centered healthcare environment.

Evangeli Bista,

Co-founder Kapa3 – Head of Strategic Partnerships
PhD(c), MBA, MSc, BSc

Text/Adaptation: Ifiyenia Anastasiou for Kapa3