Enhancing CT examination efficiency with ChatGPT-4o for multilingual Hajj pilgrims: A short communication

The annual Hajj pilgrimage brings millions of Muslims from diverse linguistic backgrounds to Makkah, Saudi Arabia. This poses significant communication challenges in medical settings, particularly during complex procedures like computed tomography (CT) examinations. In 2024, a tertiary care hospital integrated ChatGPT-4o real-time translation technology to address these challenges. This short communication aims to provide an initial assessment of the effectiveness of ChatGPT-4o in improving communication, procedure quality, and examination efficiency for multilingual Hajj pilgrims.

This quantitative study, conducted in the radiology department, analysed data from two periods: June 20 to July 8, 2023, and June 7 to June 23, 2024. Ethical clearance was obtained, and key variables measured included examination time (in minutes), patient throughput (cases per shift), and the number of scans with artifacts. Feedback on communication and satisfaction was gathered from both patients and radiographers. Paired t-tests were used to compare mean values of examination times, throughput, and artifact occurrence between the two periods, with a significance level set at P < 0.05.

A paired t-test revealed a statistically significant (p < 0.01) reduction in mean examination time (from 15.4 (2.1) minutes in 2023 to 11.1 (1.7) minutes in 2024) following the introduction of ChatGPT-4o. This reduction corresponded with an increase in mean (standard deviation) patient throughput from 49.5 (4.8) cases per shift in 2023 to 56.2 (5.3) cases per shift in 2024 (P < 0.01). The number of scans with artifacts also decreased significantly, from 30 out of 748 scans in 2023 to 8 out of 885 scans in 2024 (P < 0.01).

The integration of ChatGPT-4o significantly improved communication between healthcare providers and patients, leading to better compliance with procedure instructions and fewer repeat scans. Training programs facilitated efficient use of the technology by radiographers, further improving workflow efficiency. Despite initial integration and acceptance challenges, patients and radiographers reported high satisfaction with the improved communication and reduced stress levels.

This study demonstrates that ChatGPT-4o real-time translation improved patient communication, procedure quality, and examination efficiency. The technology reduced examination times and increased patient throughput, with positive feedback from patients and radiographers, indicating its effectiveness in multilingual medical settings.