A Korean Ph.D. student’s research on AI in palliative care is gaining significant attention in the academic community.
Featured in Penn Today
On February 28, the University of Pennsylvania’s campus media outlet, Penn Today, featured Oonjee Oh, a second-year Ph.D. student at the School of Nursing. According to Penn Today, Oh published a paper in the journal Nursing Ethics last November, titled The Ethical Dimensions of Utilizing Artificial Intelligence in Palliative Care. Her study has sparked discussions on ethical considerations in AI-driven hospice care.
Exploring AI’s Role in Palliative Care
Oh’s research focuses on the impact of AI in palliative care, particularly its role in supporting terminal patients. The paper examines ethical concerns surrounding AI applications, including:
- Machine learning algorithms predicting a patient’s likelihood of death
- Natural language processing models detecting psychological distress in clinical records
- Chatbots providing caregivers with emotional and informational support
Furthermore, her study underscores the importance of ensuring that AI systems are fair, explainable, and respectful of patients’ autonomy.
A Shift Toward AI Research
Oh’s interest in AI began during the COVID-19 pandemic. While earning a master’s degree in nursing at Seoul National University, she initially focused on patient interviews and clinical data collection. However, as these methods became difficult, she turned to survey data analysis, which led her to explore big data, coding, and advanced statistical models. Eventually, this shift guided her toward integrating AI into her Ph.D. studies.
Personal Experience in Palliative Care
Her passion for palliative care stems from her experience as a surgical ward nurse at Seoul National University Hospital. She recalled, “Critically ill patients frequently moved between the ICU and general wards, yet discussions about hospice care were rare. This reality led me to take an interest in palliative care.”
Now at the University of Pennsylvania, Oh is researching how families make hospice care decisions and how AI can assist in the process. Ethical dilemmas in decision-making remain a key focus of her work. To deepen her expertise, she is also pursuing a Master of Bioethics degree.
Academic Support and Future Impact
George Demiris, a professor at the School of Nursing and Oh’s academic advisor, emphasized her potential contributions, stating, “(Oh) will contribute to developing AI systems that reflect patients’ voices and ensure fairness.”
By integrating AI with palliative care, Oh’s research could help improve decision-making processes for terminal patients and their families, ensuring they receive compassionate and ethically sound support.
BY KYEONGJUN KIM [kim.kyeongjun1@koreadaily.com]
