Integrating ChatGPT in Anesthesia

Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

Status: Not yet enrolling

Conditions: Artificial Intelligence; Preoperative Care; Patient Education; Anesthesia

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06652854

20240526-01H

Details and patient eligibility

About

Patients are waiting for surgery longer than ever before. While hospitals are trying to get patients access to surgery as quickly as possible, a shortage of anesthesia doctors (called anesthesiologists) prevents this. Every surgery needs an anesthesiologist, but anesthesiologists also assess patients beforehand to ensure they can safely undergo surgery and help patients understand what to expect and the risks involved. Ensuring that patients move through surgery as safely and efficiently as possible requires that the limited number of anesthesiologists in Canada work as efficiently as possible. Technology like Artificial Intelligence (AI), in programs such as ChatGPT, might assist by answering common questions patients have, allowing anesthesiologists to focus their limited time on addressing complex and personalized issues for each patient. However, studies conducted so far on how well AI can answer questions about anesthesia and surgery have been poorly designed and have not included patients as members of the research team. This study will determine whether AI can answer patients' questions before surgery as effectively as both patients and expert anesthesiologists would expect, which could be beneficial to patients and the healthcare system.

Enrollment: 190 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Patients

• 1. Age > 18 years 2. Elective non-cardiac surgery 3. In-person preoperative anesthesiology consultation 4. Ability to participate and provide informed consent independently.

Exclusion criteria

• 1. Unable to communicate in English or French 2. Nurse consultation only

Physicians

Inclusion Criteria:

Anesthesiology residents or staff providing service at the PAU at TOH

Exclusion Criteria:

Anesthesiology residents or staff unwilling to participate in the research study.

Trial design

190 participants in 2 patient groups

Patient scheduled for a pre-surgery consultation with a physician anesthesiologist

Description:

After obtaining consent, patients will be asked to respond to the following query: "What is the most important question you had hoped to ask your anesthesiologist today about your anesthesia care, pain management or the time immediately around surgery?'.

Specialty-trained anesthesiologists in independent practice within the pre-admission

Description:

anesthesiologists will be designated as either "response generators" or "response raters." Response generators will craft answers to patient queries, while response raters-anesthesiologists with over five years of clinical experience-will evaluate the quality of these responses.