What is Natural Language Processing (NLP), how it works, and what solutions it provides in AI communication systems

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Natural Language Processing AI – How it all works

To really understand how an NLP AI works, we need to look at the three essential elements it uses. NLP combines machine learning, deep learning models, and computational linguistics to understand human language. However, thanks to these elements, the AI can also interpret and generate human language in a meaningful way.

One of the main goals of NLP AI is to shorten the gap in human-computer communication and make it faster, easier, and more meaningful. Consider the fact that such AI has an immense potential to quickly and accurately go through vast amount of data, it is quite clear why NLP AI learns and adapts to human language rapidly. NLP AI consists of several mechanisms that allow it to interpret and understand human language. First of all, in NLP AI, software tags are used to on individual words in a sentence according to contextual usages, in order for AI to differentiate between verbs, nouns, etc. This kind of AI also understands the meaning of words, that is, it utilizes word-sense disambiguation. With it, AI NLP software identifies a word's intended meaning. NLP AI also uses machine translation, speech recognition, and crucially, sentiment analysis. Sentiment analysis utilizes artificial intelligence to decipher the emotional tone conveyed within text-based information.

NLP AI Communication Systems in Health – Benefits and Solutions

Over the recent years, NLP AI has been used in communication systems in the world of healthcare for a wide variety of reasons. Aside from the clear ability to gather and analyze a vast amount of data, NLP AI main function in health is to allow for a faster, easier, and more accessible communication with patients. NLP AI shines the most as a virtual health assistant. In this role, AI can communicate with patients efficiently, book their appointments, reschedule if necessary, send short notifications or reminders, send e-mails containing information regarding a patient’s healthcare journey, exams, and so on, but most importantly, NLP AI can approach each patient differently, depending on the patient’s preferences, background, medical information, and needs.

As we can see, through its use as a virtual health assistant, NLP AI provides much needed solutions to some of the issues that have been plaguing the world of healthcare in the recent period. Namely, the constant use of chatbots and call centers which, while useful in certain scenarios, have been reported as being extremely unpopular with patients. Chatbots are not extremely useful in communication as they can provide only short, pre-made responses to a give set of questions. Any communication outside of that is impossible. Call centers have a somewhat notorious reputation for long and complicated menus, agent switching, and long waiting times. What’s more, AI solved the issue of clinics not being accessible 24/7. With AI as a virtual assistant, patients can access the important information they need, as well as schedule or reschedule their appointments at any moment.

Speaking of waiting times, since NLP AI quickly analyzes and interprets data, it can be very useful in the process of lowering patient no-shows. When a patient cancels an appointment, this kind of AI can immediately fill in the gap with another patient and offer and alternative to the patient who canceled the appointment. Furthermore, using predictive analytics AI can categorize potential no-shows and prepare replacements for their potential empty slots in advance. All of this drastically lowers the waiting lists which have been among the top problems in healthcare systems around the world since the 2020 global pandemic.

AI and Its Future Use in Healthcare

It is safe to say that the use of AI in healthcare is only just being started. The rise of popularity of AI not only in healthcare industry but in other industries as well, will clearly impact the ways in which communication between patients and clinics take place. In the world of healthcare, where effective communication and information processing are essential, NLP AI provides much needed solutions and allows for a more accessible and faster communication between patients and their clinics.