Page 133 - EJMO-9-1

Eurasian Journal of Medicine and
Oncology
Oncology care with AI chatbots and assistants

Table 2. AI virtual assistants and chatbots versus traditional oncology care
Feature AI virtual assistants Traditional care (Human providers)
Availability 9,17 24/7 availability for immediate responses, round-the-clock Limited to office hours or scheduled visits, no immediate
support access
Emotional support 5 Offers basic empathy through pre-defined responses and Provides deep emotional support with human empathy, but
sentiment analysis dependent on the provider’s time and mood
Efficiency 10 Can handle numerous queries simultaneously, improving Limited to one patient at a time, may lead to delays,
scalability especially in busy practices
Cost 9 Lower operational cost (automated and scalable) Higher costs due to staffing, overhead, and patient-facing
services
Abbreviation: AI: Artificial intelligence.
Table 3. AI virtual assistants and chatbots versustelemedicine solutions

Feature AI virtual assistants Telemedicine solutions
Availability 10 24/7 availability, providing access even in remote locations Availability is typically limited to scheduled appointments
with a provider
Cost 9 Lower costs, especially with scalable automated responses Higher costs due to the need for video infrastructure and
provider time
Cost 9 Lower costs, especially with scalable automated responses Higher costs due to the need for video infrastructure and
provider time
Scope of care 10 Primarily focuses on informational support, reminders, and Covers a wider scope, including diagnoses, treatment
symptom management decisions, and emotional support
Emotional support 5 Provides emotional support using pre-configured responses Real-time, human empathy and emotional support tailored
and sentiment analysis to the patient’s needs
Abbreviation: AI: Artificial intelligence.
Table 4. AI virtual assistants and chatbots versus traditional mobile health apps
Feature AI virtual assistants Traditional Mobile Health Apps
Interactivity 10 Dynamic, conversational, with real-time responses Mostly static, providing information but lacking interactive
dialogue
Personalization 9 Real-time responses based on specific patient data Limited to data input, lacks real-time adaptive responses
Ease of use 17 Easy and intuitive interface with natural language processing Requires navigating through multiple screens and inputs
Engagement 5 Continuous engagement through reminders, emotional Limited engagement; often requires manual effort to interact
support
Scope of use 6 Focuses on oncology-specific queries (e.g., symptom Broader focus on health tracking and general wellness
management, medication reminders)
Real-time Provides real-time responses based on up-to-date medical Limited to static information, lacks adaptive capabilities
decision-making 9 knowledge and patient history
Cost 10 Lower costs due to automation and scalability Varies widely, often lower than telemedicine or in-person
care
Dependence on Minimal to none for routine inquiries; escalation for Requires healthcare provider involvement for most decisions
human providers 5 complex cases
Abbreviation: AI: Artificial intelligence.

4.3. AI virtual assistants and chatbots versus 4.3.1. Key advantages of AI virtual assistants in
traditional mobile health apps oncology care
The comparison of AI virtual assistants and chatbots AI-powered assistants offer numerous advantages in
with mobile health apps reveals important distinctions oncology, significantly improving patient care and
in functionality, cost, and support scope (Table 4). While healthcare system efficiency. One key benefit is 24/7
mobile health apps focus on general wellness, they often lack availability, providing patients with access to crucial
the interactive and adaptive features of AI virtual assistants. information and support at any time. This availability is

Volume 9 Issue 1 (2025) 125 doi: 10.36922/ejmo.6251