Virtual Patients to train Regional Anaesthesia Informed Consent using Generative AI (The VIRTUE-RA study)

The training exposure is delivered using SimChatTM, a commercial video-based GenAI-powered virtual patient system. Trainees will conversationally interact with AI avatars who automatically respond after each input. Trainees will attempt to obtain informed consent for regional anaesthesia in each case, which involves disclosing risks, benefits, and alternative options for that particular patient’s context. The system has adaptive dialogue that allows each interaction to be unique and evolves according to the questions and answers provided in real-time. We will program ten RA-relevant patient histories with real-life clinical features into the system. They will have different personality traits and cultural backgrounds, to provide the platform with a realistic range of patient presentations relevant for RA. A minimum of two sessions will be completed by each trainee within a 60 min training period. This training period will only occur once. Adherence to training is live monitored by investigators, and also recorded within SimChat as transcripts and user statistics on number of AI profiles completed. At each recruitment site, equipment can be a personal computer or tablet with microphone and speaker enabled to allow speaking and listening of the conversation. Thus, participants speak into the microphone, the AI will respond, enabling free conversation. At the end of every session, SimChat’s will provide automated feedback according to the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) format used throughout the study. At the end of the 60min, a debrief session will also be conducted by faculty to provide further feedback, and respond to any questions.