Will AI define the future of the patient experience? Main topic of discussion at the 9th edition of the Patient Experience Congress

Last Wednesday, 18 September, the 9th edition of the XPAtient Barcelona Congress on the Patient Experience was held in the paranymph of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Barcelona (UB). This annual meeting is held to evaluate the patient experience in Catalan hospitals and propose ways to improve this area among all the participating stakeholders: health professionals, technologists and entrepreneurs, patients and carers.

The hosts of this edition were the Hospital Clínic Barcelona, through the Patient Experience Observatory, the TIC Salut Social Foundation and the Health Quality and Assessment Agency (AQuAS), representing the Department of Health and the Eurecat Technology Center of Catalonia.

Under the impetus of the Association of Entities and Professionals for the Evaluation of the Patient Experience, this year the congress presented different projects from all over the region and also facilitated the presentation of international perspectives and projects in relation to improving patients’ hospital experience. There was also discussion concerning the introduction of new technologies and artificial intelligence as support for these improvements. The conference began with a presentation on the importance of AI as a technology that will define the future and the need for an active participation of civil society. Key topics such as the relationship between the patient experience and clinical outcomes, transparency when communicating with patients and the ethical use of data were also explored.

Next was a presentation of innovative hospital projects to improve the patient experience, highlighting the co-creation and use of digital tools and a discussion of the challenges of digitalisation and AI in the healthcare field. Emphasis was placed on the humanisation of care and the active participation of patients. Finally, three patients shared their overall assessment of the congress and raised very interesting aspects of debate in order to continue working on the evaluation and improvement of the patient experience.

For more information and to retrieve all sessions, visit the web page of the congress.