A Prospective Randomized Controlled Simulation Study to Test a Proof-of-Concept Real-Time Periprocedural Decision...

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology
• Medical Simulation
• Decision Support Systems

Background:

• Perioperative patient deterioration requires timely diagnosis and intervention.
• Existing decision support systems for anesthesiology are limited.
• Audio-visual cues may enhance provider performance in critical scenarios.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of audio-visual decision support on anesthesiology trainees' diagnostic accuracy and efficiency.
• To assess the effectiveness of a realistic operating room simulation environment.
• To measure the ability of trainees to diagnose and treat simulated patient deterioration using audio-visual cues.

Main Methods:

• Prospective, randomized controlled pilot trial involving 21 anesthesiology trainees.
• Participants were randomized into standard of care (control) or audio-visual cue (experimental) groups.
• Three simulated patient deterioration scenarios (anaphylaxis, amniotic fluid embolism, pulseless electrical activity) were utilized.

Main Results:

• The audio-visual group showed a statistically significant increase in correct intervention for anaphylaxis (P=0.0015).
• For AFE, the intervention group had a decreased median time to intervention 1 for residents (P=0.01) but increased for student nurse anesthetists (P=0.01).
• Correct diagnoses for the pediatric dental scenario were significantly higher in the intervention group (P=0.005, P=0.023).

Conclusions:

• Real-time audio-visual cues in simulated settings can improve diagnosis and treatment times.
• This simulation-based approach is an effective educational tool for anesthesiology trainees.
• Further development of decision support technology can enhance safety in periprocedural care.