Artificial Intelligence as a Consent Aid for Carpal Tunnel Release

Artificial Intelligence as a Consent Aid for Carpal Tunnel Release
Original Research
James Brock, Richard Roberts, Matthew Horner, Preetham Kodumuri
Cureus, 24 June 2024
Open Access
Abstract
Background
Hand surgeons have been charged with the use of diverse modalities to enhance the consenting process following the Montgomery ruling. Artificial Intelligence language models have been suggested as patient education tools that may aid consent.
Methods
We compared the quality and readability of the Every Informed Decision Online (EIDO) patient information leaflet for carpal tunnel release with the artificial intelligence language model Chat Generative Pretrained Transformer (GPT).
Results
The quality of information by ChatGPT was significantly higher using the DISCERN score, 71/80 for ChatGPT compared to 62/80 for EIDO (p=0.014). DISCERN interrater observer reliability was high (0.65) using the kappa statistic. Flesch-Kincaid readability scoring was 12.3 for ChatGPT and 7.5 for EIDO, suggesting a more complex reading age for the ChatGPT information.
Conclusion
The artificial intelligence language model ChatGPT produces high-quality information at the expense of readability when compared to EIDO information leaflets for carpal tunnel release consent.