4 . Medical artificial intelligence (AI) can perform with expert-level accuracy and deliver cost-effective care. IBM’s Watson diagnoses (诊断) heart disease better than cardiologists (心脏病专家) do. Chatbots give better medical advice to patients in place of nurses. Some forecast that medical AI will enter 90% of hospitals and replace as much as 80% of what doctors currently do. Yet, as our recent research suggests, patients show a strong resistance to medical AI.

The reason, we found, is not the belief that AI provides lower care. Nor is it that patients think that AI is more costly or less informative. Rather, resistance to medical AI seems to come from a belief that AI does not take into account one’s specific circumstances. People view themselves as unique. By contrast, they think medical care delivered by AI providers is suited to treat an average patient but unsuitable to account for the unique circumstances that apply to an individual. No wonder that medical AI providers are given a cold welcome.

There are a number of steps that care providers can take to overcome patients’ resistance to medical AI. For example, if an AI provider is capable of tailoring its recommendation for whether to have a surgery to each patient’s unique characteristics and medical history, patients would be likely to follow the treatment recommendations of the AI provider. In addition, health care providers could also deliver individualized health care by explaining how the algorithms (算法) work and sharing patients’ reviews with the media. Having a physician confirm the recommendation of an AI provider should make people more willing to accept AI-based care. People are comfortable using medical AI if a physician remains in charge of the ultimate decision.

AI-based health care technologies are being developed and employed at an impressive rate, providing better medical services for the patients. But harnessing the full potential of them will require that we first overcome patients’ doubt of having an algorithm, rather than a person making decisions about their care.

6 . Twice every month, Miranda Sam, a 66-year-old Ghanaian, visited the China Traditional Herbal Hospital, a private herbal facility at Pokuase, a suburb of the Ghanaian capital, for treatment.

“I was squeezing lemons, and when I finished, I could not get up or even move my legs, so I went to the hospital and did an X-ray examination, but they saw nothing. Meanwhile, I could not walk and was in a wheelchair,” the retired worker said. Hence Miranda decided to visit the herbal facility. “On two occasions, I had to do acupuncture(针灸), and I have found great relief. Now I walk unaided, so I keep coming for treatment,” she said.

As Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is gaining popularity in Ghana, many acupuncture clinics run by Chinese doctors pop up in the country. However, the China Traditional Herbal Hospital was established by 52-year-old Ghanaian business owner Bediako, after his fruitful encounter with the effects of TCM in 2012. With the help of a Chinese lady, Bediako set up a small clinic specializing in TCM. Years on, the facility has subsequently grown into a bigger herbal hospital. The hospital treats patients with a combination of local and Chinese herbal formulas. It supports this with the application of traditional Chinese medical methods.

Strokes(中风) account for 1.3 percent of all hospital admissions in Ghana, and 6.3 percent of all hospital deaths. But Bediako is confident that as more people with these conditions turn to the natural methods of healing, the pain and death rates would subside. “A gentleman was brought here three weeks ago, who could not sit, stand, or walk. He was first taken through acupuncture. I observed him on camera 30 minutes later, squatting(蹲), standing, and walking. You come here with your pain but will leave with a smile. That is our feature,” he said.

The hospital has started a second facility in Ashaiman near the capital, with plans to open other branches across the country to meet the growing demand.

7 . Paintings and sculptures can be a feast for the eyes of visitors to art museums, but today their viewing is also an unconventional treatment for people with mental illness.

Last month. a group of Canadian doctors started to write a new kind of prescription (处方), which gives patients free access to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA). There, they will have a “relaxing. revitalizing experience” looking at the museum’s collection.

Nathalie Bondil. the museum’s director general. believes that being in contact with culture and arts can help with wellbeing. “In the 21st century, culture will be what physical activity was for health in the 20th century.” she said.

Each prescription will allow not only the patients but also their families or friends to go with them. In the museum. the visitor can appreciate the artworks, and take part in a wide range of activities including drawing, sewing (缝纫) and making a sculpture with recycled materials.

The new treatment is said to be the first of its kind in the world. But there’s increasing evidence that the display of visual art, especially art depicting (描绘) nature, can have positive effects on people with depression, anxiety and self-respect problems.

In 2017, the UK’s All Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing

(APPGAHW) also released a report stating that “the time has come to recognize the powerful contribution the arts can make to our health and wellbeing”.

Is it possible for art to improve overall health? We may not know the answer yet. But one thing is certain, more and more people today are persuaded by the idea that “art is good medicine”.

Traditional Chinese medicine     1     (practise) for around 3,000 years in the Far East, but is relatively recent in the West. People are becoming increasingly worried about the side effects of drugs, and are turning to treatments such as yoga and acupuncture (针灸)     2     (add) to, or sometimes even replace, Western medicine.

An event in my life changed my attitude towards acupuncture. After suffering from insomnia (失眠) for several months, I     3     (feel) mentally and physically exhausted, nearing my breaking point. A trip     4     my doctor and nightly beer and whisky failed to bring any     5     (relieve) from my condition. A friend suggested that I visit an acupuncturist. With a fear of needles, I was reluctant to take his advice,     6     by this time I was so tired that I was ready to try almost anything.

After another nearly     7     (sleep) night, I turned up in the local alternative health centre and met the only acupuncturist in my area. By taking my pulse, looking at my tongue and asking some questions about my diet and lifestyle, he correctly concluded that I was worn out. I found this     8     (extreme) impressive and amazing since he hadn’t asked me     9     I had come to see him. He then inserted a fine needle in my right foot, and I fell asleep immediately. The whole experience was like a miracle never     10     (imagine) in my wildest dreams!

During the Hangzhou 2023 Asian Games, athletes from around the world have been exploring acupuncture (针灸),     1     component of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). This practice has been an important part of Chinese healthcare system for centuries.

TCM, which includes acupuncture, herbal therapy, massage, Tai Chi, and Qigong     2     (remain) an essential component of China’s medical system, gaining increasing     3     (recognize) on a global scale. Not only is it popular among the Chinese population, but it is also gaining interest in Western societies,     4     has led to increased investments in professional TCM services.

While China places significant emphasis on the integration of TCM with modern biomedicine, it is also becoming more popular worldwide. Although some medical professionals are     5     (doubt) about the far reaching effects of TCM, the practice     6     (accept) as a fundamental aspect of global healthcare to date.

TCM has been recognized for the potential benefits, particularly when     7     (use) alongside with modern medicine, which has resulted in its increasing integration into modern healthcare systems.     8     its ancient Chinese origins, TCM’s principles and practices have a global influence currently, with experts     9     (offer) their special skills across the world.

As research into TCM continues to advance and more individuals embrace it for     10     their healthcare needs, the field is definite to grow.