GENERATIVE AI in dermatology improved communication efficiency and satisfaction but did not strengthen empathy or humanistic care.
Generative AI in Dermatology Shows Mixed Effects
Generative AI use was associated with lower emotional exhaustion among dermatologists and greater confidence in physician communication, according to an exploratory study conducted at two tertiary hospitals in China.
The cross sectional investigation included surveys from 25 dermatologists, questionnaires from 60 dermatology outpatients, and standardized assessments involving 20 physicians. The standardized component generated 80 records across simulated acne vulgaris and chronic eczema consultations.
More frequent generative AI use among physicians was significantly associated with lower emotional exhaustion and higher communication self efficacy. After adjustment for professional title, clinical experience, and hospital affiliation, increasing use remained associated with higher communication confidence scores.
However, the small physician cohort, including only three frequent users, means the results should be considered exploratory rather than evidence that generative AI directly reduces physician burnout.
Patients Report Greater Communication Satisfaction
Among the patient cohort, 24 people had used generative AI to obtain skin health information during the previous 4 weeks. These users reported higher communication satisfaction than the 36 nonusers, with average scores of 18.46 and 15.17, respectively.
The association remained significant after researchers adjusted for age, education, hospital affiliation, and dermatologic disease category. Generative AI users also reported greater trust in AI.
Despite these differences, perceived physician empathy did not significantly differ between users and nonusers. This suggests that improved access to information or better preparation before an appointment may increase satisfaction without changing how patients experience the clinician’s emotional engagement.
AI Assistance Improves Structure, Not Humanistic Care
During standardized assessments, physicians received either no AI support or 5 minutes of AI assisted preparation before a 10 minute simulated consultation. Generative AI was not used during the encounter itself.
AI assisted preparation produced higher scores for information gathering, information delivery, structural efficiency, and overall communication quality. These effects were observed across both acne vulgaris and chronic eczema scenarios.
Humanistic care did not improve alongside these measures. The primary analysis found a nonsignificant reduction, while a fully adjusted sensitivity analysis identified significantly lower humanistic care scores with AI assistance.
The findings indicate that generative AI in dermatology may help clinicians organize information and communicate more efficiently while potentially encouraging language that is less spontaneous, individualized, or emotionally responsive.
Researchers emphasized that the cross sectional design, small samples, simulated encounters, and setting in two Chinese hospitals limit causal and international conclusions. Generative AI should therefore support clinical communication rather than replace physician judgment, individualized reassurance, or relational care.
Reference
Wei Y et al. The double-edged sword of generative AI in dermatology: a multi-component cross-sectional study on physician burnout, patient satisfaction, and communication quality. Front Med. 2026;13:1875075.
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