Assessing the impact of mixed reality-assisted informed consent: A study protocol

Area of Science:

• Medical Communication
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Patient Education

Background:

• Informed consent is vital but complex, posing communication challenges in healthcare.
• Mixed reality (MR) offers a novel approach to enhance patient understanding and engagement.
• Limited research exists on MR's specific impact on the medical informed consent process.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of MR-assisted informed consent (MRaIC) on patient comprehension, engagement, and decision-making.
• To compare MRaIC with conventional informed consent (CIC) in a randomized controlled trial.
• To assess psychological effects, including anxiety levels and procedural awareness.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial comparing MRaIC and CIC groups (52 patients each).
• Utilizing questionnaires to measure anxiety and procedural awareness pre-medical procedures.
• Evaluating information comprehension, engagement, emotional reactions, and consent decisions.

Main Results:

• The study aims to evaluate MR's effect on patient information comprehension and engagement.
• Assessing the influence of MR on patients' emotional responses and consent decisions.
• Addressing ethical considerations related to MR in informed consent.

Conclusions:

• This protocol provides a framework for investigating MR's role in medical informed consent.
• Findings may enhance understanding of MR's benefits for patient comprehension, engagement, and decision-making.
• Integrating MR technology can potentially improve surgical communication and the overall informed consent process.