SOPHIE: Standardized Online Patient for Healthcare Interaction Education

NCT07409233 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: STUDY00006689
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 51
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study evaluated an online simulation based educational program designed to improve clinician communication skills. Participants were clinicians and clinical trainees who completed simulated patient interactions and communication assessments as part of an educational evaluation. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either an AI based simulation training program or standard educational materials. Communication performance was assessed using standardized rating methods in simulated scenarios. The study did not involve patients or health related clinical interventions.

Conditions

Clinician Communication Skills Training

Keywords

Medical education; Artificial intelligence

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Mean Communication Performance Improvement Score in Simulated Patient Encounters

  Communication performance was assessed during simulated patient encounters using standardized rating instruments completed by trained standardized patients or expert reviewers. The mean communication performance score improvement was calculated for each participant and used to describe communication skills following the assigned educational condition.

  Immediately following completion of the assigned educational condition

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Immediately following completion of the assigned educational condition

  Immediately following simulated patient encounter

• Mean Empathy Rating Score in Simulated Encounters

  Immediately following simulated patient encounter

• Mean Participant Self Reported Confidence Score

  Immediately following completion of the educational intervention

• Mean Usability Score of the Educational Intervention

  Immediately following completion of the educational intervention

• Total Participant Satisfaction Score

  Immediately following completion of the educational intervention

Study Arms (2)

SOPHIE Simulation Training

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants assigned to this arm completed an AI based online simulation training program designed to support the development of clinician communication skills. The training involved interactive virtual patient scenarios focused on communication practice in simulated clinical encounters.

Behavioral: SOPHIE Simulation Training

Control Educational Materials

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants assigned to this arm completed standard educational materials related to clinician communication skills. These materials included instructional content such as videos and readings and did not involve interactive simulation training.

Behavioral: Control Educational Materials

Interventions

SOPHIE Simulation Training BEHAVIORAL

An online simulation based educational training program that uses interactive virtual patient scenarios to support the development of clinician communication skills in simulated clinical encounters.

SOPHIE Simulation Training

Control Educational Materials BEHAVIORAL

Standard educational content related to clinician communication skills delivered through instructional materials such as videos and readings without interactive simulation.

Control Educational Materials

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Participants are clinicians or clinical trainees involved in patient communication as part of their professional or educational role
• Age 18 years or older
• Ability to participate in online educational activities and simulated patient encounters
• Ability to provide informed consent

You may not qualify if:

• Prior participation in this study
• Inability to complete the required online activities or simulated encounters
• Any condition that in the opinion of the investigator would interfere with participation or data quality

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Rochester: lead
• James P. Wilmot Cancer Center: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

University of Rochester

Rochester, New York, 14620, United States

Location

Study Officials

• Ehsan Hoque, PhD

  University of Rochester

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: Outcome assessors rating simulated patient encounters were blinded to participant group assignment.
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor of Computer Science

Model Details: Participants were randomly assigned to either an AI based simulation training program or a control educational condition and completed simulated patient encounters for assessment.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 8, 2026
• First Posted: February 13, 2026
• Study Start: June 1, 2024
• Primary Completion: December 31, 2024
• Study Completion: January 1, 2025
• Last Updated: February 13, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: ANALYTIC CODE
• Time Frame: 03/01/2025 - Indefinitely
• Access Criteria: The data is publicly available on an online repository.

Locations

US (1)