Abstract
In the continuously shifting arena of emergency medical services (EMS), practitioners are at the forefront, crucial in providing rapid, effective patient-centered care in dire situations. As the medical field advances at a dizzying rate, accompanied by technological revolutions, there is an urgent need for EMS education to mirror these changes. Integrating artificial intelligence into EMS education promises to be a game changer.
This article explores the significance of this AI tool for EMS training, examines the pivotal role of virtual patient cases, and lays out a roadmap for its implementation, blending modern advancements with time-honored teaching methods.
Introduction
Emergency medical services (EMS) personnel play an essential role in the healthcare system, responding to urgent and emergent situations and providing critical pre-hospital care. Their training, therefore, needs to be robust, adaptive, and reflective of the latest advancements in medical care and technology. With the rise of digital tools and platforms, integrating innovative technologies such as real patient videos and artificial intelligence can significantly enhance EMS training.
Real patient cases allow for learners to see and understand the full extent of the situation and the emergency responders’ decision making, all on demand. Artificial Intelligence can be combined with these cases to allow the learners to interview the patient themselves, determine the best course of action, and receive detailed feedback for improvement.
The Relevance of Virtual Patient Cases in EMS Education
Virtual patient cases represent a pivotal shift in the way we approach EMS training. These videos provide several concrete benefits:
- Authenticity: Real patient videos showcase genuine patient encounters, enabling EMS students to witness the dynamics of real-life situations, reactions, and clinical presentations. Videos of these situations, along with the patient’s vitals, demographics, history, workup, and actual outcomes provide learners with the entire scope of the case right at their fingertips (Figure 1). Working stepwise through the case, from the patient interview down to the disposition, allow learners to put their own clinical reasoning skills to the test. Students can use all the case information available to them to determine what their own response would be before seeing the actual outcomes as decided by trained EMS personnel.
- Enhanced Engagement: Existing literature indicates heightened learner engagement and adaptability in clinical scenarios when exposed to innovative, immersive educational tools.1 Imagine learning about a patient case by reading of the encounter versus watching it unfold. Clearly, viewing a recording of the encounter can capture elements that words cannot, and is much truer to life. Not only will students show heightened engagement with recorded cases, but they will be exposed to the case in a more realistic and digestible way.
- Flexibility: These videos can be paused, replayed, and analyzed, offering learners the chance to understand every facet of the patient encounter. Any portion of the case can be reviewed at any time so that a cohesive plan is reached. The cases can even be reviewed outside of the classroom, such as when preparing for a test. The accessibility of these patient cases is not limited by class time or instructor availability, giving the students the opportunity to continue learning in an authentic way at their own leisure.
- Scalability: Virtual patient cases allow for wide dissemination, ensuring that every EMS student, regardless of geographic location, has access to high-quality educational material.
- Diversity: A library of real patient cases can capture the true diversity of patients and conditions.
The Promise of Artificial Intelligence in EMS Education
Artificial intelligence (AI) transcends conventional data processing to simulate human-like conversation. This exponentially increases the power of virtual patient cases by giving each student the opportunity to chart their own course. Its potential contributions to EMS education include:
- Interactive Learning: AI has the unique ability to simulate an interactive experience, similar to real clinical encounters. EMS students can practice patient interviews, assessments, and decision making in a safe, controlled environment. AI can easily “learn” all details of a patient case and be interviewed by the student, providing responses consistent with the patient’s history and presentation. This provides a unique opportunity for students to enhance their communication and reasoning skills. This benefit is amplified when the vast number and diversity of patient cases available is considered.
- Dual Role: AI can mimic both the patient during assessments and the instructor offering feedback, allowing for a comprehensive learning experience. For example, right after interviewing the virtual patient, the virtual preceptor can analyze the interview using a peer-reviewed rubric and provide the student with feedback on not just the content of their interview, but also the level of empathy shown toward the patient. The same holds true for determining the differential diagnosis and disposition.
- Augmented Clinical Reasoning Skills: Studies indicate that AI models like ChatGPT can help students develop better diagnostic and clinical reasoning skills, even surpassing early-year medical students in some evaluations.2 By interacting with this interface regularly, learners can build their clinical reasoning skills on demand.
Proposed Framework for Integrating AI into EMS Curricula
Building on existing evidence-based educational practices, the following phased approach is proposed:
- Orientation: Familiarizing students with AI-facilitated learning, outlining its benefits, applications, and potential challenges.
- Engagement: Actively involving students in virtual patient scenarios using artificial intelligence, encouraging them to ask questions, make assessments, and suggest treatments.
- Feedback System: Using ChatGPT as a virtual instructor to provide instant, constructive feedback, allowing students to reflect and refine their approach.
- Evaluative Approach: Regularly assessing the impact of AI-driven lessons on student performance, adjusting methodologies as needed.
The Synergy of Traditional and Innovative Tools
While the allure of cutting-edge technologies like AI and virtual patient videos is undeniable, they should serve as an augmentation to, not a replacement for, conventional teaching methods. The dynamism and adaptability of digital tools are revolutionary, offering unparalleled experiences that can enrich EMS education. However, it is important to remember the intrinsic value of traditional training.
Skills like hands-on patient care are irreplaceable. The tactile feedback of administering CPR, the rush of adrenaline during emergency situations, or the simple act of comforting a patient during distress—these experiences cannot be wholly replicated digitally.
Similarly, while digital simulations can provide scenarios for understanding patient reactions, the innate human quality of empathy is best cultivated through real-life interactions. The nuances of reading a patient’s emotions, comforting families in crisis, and collaborating with peers in high-pressure scenarios are all invaluable aspects of EMS training.
Teamwork, a cornerstone of EMS operations, is another area where digital tools can supplement but not substitute. Coordination with fellow responders, understanding nonverbal cues during emergencies, and shared decision-making processes are best learned in person.
In the spirit of embracing the future, EMS students must receive a well-rounded education. This includes honing their technical prowess through advanced tools while preserving and emphasizing their softer, human-centric skills, which lie at the heart of patient care. By striking a balance, we prepare future EMS professionals to excel in an era of digital innovation without losing the human touch that’s so integral to their roles.
Conclusion
The integration of real patient cases from platforms, combined with the advanced capabilities of AI models, presents an exciting future for EMS education. By fostering a harmonious blend of traditional teaching methods with these innovative tools, we can ensure that the next generation of EMS professionals is thoroughly equipped to provide exceptional care in our increasingly tech-savvy world.
The convergence of authenticity, captured in real patient videos, and the interactive, adaptable nature of AI, stands to elevate EMS training to unprecedented heights, promising better preparedness and ultimately, superior patient care.
David Spiro will present “Real Patient Cases: Pediatric Video Visual Diagnosis” at FDIC International in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Thursday, April 18, 2024, 1:30 p.m.-3:15 p.m.
References
- U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology. (2023). Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Teaching and Learning: Insights and Recommendations. U.S. Department of Education. https://www2.ed.gov/documents/ai-report/ai-report.pdf
- Kung, T. H., Cheatham, M., Medenilla, A., Sillos, C., De Leon, L., Elepaño, C., Madriaga, M., Aggabao, R., Diaz-Candido, G., Maningo, J., & Tseng, V. (2023). Performance of ChatGPT on USMLE: Potential for AI-assisted medical education using large language models. PLOS Digital Health, 2(2), e0000198. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pdig.0000198
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