Belong.Life has received validation from practising oncologists for the company's conversational AI oncology mentor Dave.
The New York-based start-up published an abstract on 23 May for its presentation at the upcoming American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting highlighting the positive results of a multi-institutional validation report on Dave.
The survey was conducted by eight senior oncologists from leading medical institutions. The oncologists assessed Dave’s replies for their relevance and helpfulness, aligning them with evidence-based medicine, current recommendations, and guidelines.
Belong.Life's chief medical officer Dr Daniel Vorobiof said: "This important validation evaluation, conducted by leading oncologists, supports the accuracy and reliability of an AI-powered Cancer Mentor in supporting the complex questions and needs of people diagnosed with cancer.
"Patients and caregivers turning to Dave can rest assured that they are receiving valid information relevant to their personal medical situation. We are strongly encouraged by these excellent results as we continue exploring additional avenues to expand quality AI support to assist patients, caregivers and physicians alike."
In total, 471 patients and caregivers’ questions answered by Dave were randomly selected and reviewed by oncology specialists in the respective fields. Dave achieved a positive validation percentage of nearly 92%, with only 1% graded as not at all helpful or relevant.
Launched in May 2023, Dave provides support, clarifies relevant clinical issues, and guides patients and caregivers with supportive and empathetic information and education. The AI assistant can be used for diagnosis through every other aspect of cancer management.
Other AI health assistants have been launched including the World Health Organization’s S.A.R.A.H, Smart AI Resource Assistant for Health.
AI-powered chatbots have also been utilised in mental health and can be used to motivate and interact with patients, increasing patient engagement and satisfaction. It can also improve the effectiveness and accuracy of preventive care delivery, symptom identification, and post-recovery care.
The use of AI in healthcare is accelerating at a rapid pace, with GlobalData forecasting the revenue in healthcare alone to reach $4.3bn by 2024.
