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Review
. 2025 Mar;201(3):316-332.
doi: 10.1007/s00066-024-02279-7. Epub 2024 Sep 11.

Allies not enemies-creating a more empathetic and uplifting patient experience through technology and art

Luca Tagliaferri  1   2 , Bruno Fionda  1 , Calogero Casà  3   4 , Patrizia Cornacchione  1 , Sara Scalise  1 , Silvia Chiesa  1 , Elisa Marconi  1   5 , Loredana Dinapoli  1   5 , Beatrice Di Capua  6 , Daniela Pia Rosaria Chieffo  5   7 , Fabio Marazzi  1 , Vincenzo Frascino  1 , Giuseppe Ferdinando Colloca  1 , Vincenzo Valentini  6 , Francesco Miccichè  8 , Maria Antonietta Gambacorta  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Allies not enemies-creating a more empathetic and uplifting patient experience through technology and art

Luca Tagliaferri et al. Strahlenther Onkol. 2025 Mar.

Abstract

Objective: To understand whether art and technology (mainly conversational agents) may help oncology patients to experience a more humanized journey.

Methods: This narrative review encompasses a comprehensive examination of the existing literature in this field by a multicenter, multidisciplinary, and multiprofessional team aiming to analyze the current developments and potential future directions of using art and technology for patient engagement.

Results: We identified three major themes of patient engagement with art and three major themes of patient engagement with technologies. Two real-case scenarios are reported from our experience to practically envision how findings from the literature can be implemented in different contexts.

Conclusion: Art therapy and technologies can be ancillary supports for healthcare professionals but are not substitutive of their expertise and responsibilities. Such tools may help to convey a more empathetic and uplifting patient journey if properly integrated within clinical practice, whereby the humanistic touch of medicine remains pivotal.

Keywords: Care; Digital health; Oncology; Patient journey; Quality of life.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: L. Tagliaferri, B. Fionda, C. Casà, P. Cornacchione, S. Scalise, S. Chiesa, E. Marconi, L. Dinapoli, B. Di Capua, D.P.R. Chieffo, F. Marazzi, V. Frascino, G.F. Colloca, V. Valentini, F. Miccichè, and M.A. Gambacorta declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Image of the setting
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Image of the Dreams Chest
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
a Immersive chemotherapy infusion room; b “juke box” application for choosing artistic entertainment content
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Flowchart representing personalized psycho-oncological care for head and neck, brain, rectal, and anal cancers patients in the art environment of Gemelli ART
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Digital renderings of the furniture that convey the metaphor of water. a The wall panels, designed with a metaphorical reference to water, were donated by Infinity Office Srl. b Donated by Senior l’Età della Saggezza ONLUS, the multisensorial fountain combines nature and technology. Patients can interact with it by choosing images that resonate with them, including some contributed by the patients
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Inside view of the temple of Iuppiter Iurarius
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Personalized therapy room. a Patients can use the digital panel to choose a naturalistic/artistic video that they wish to see in the treatment room for the whole duration of RT. Translation of items selectable from the digital monitor: “Welcoming, Medical visit, Therapy, Personalize the room, I’ve finished drinking.” b Digital rendering of the immersive room with the wall monitors that display the video selected by the patient
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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