AI is helping patients prepare for hip and knee replacement surgery, easing anxiety and providing answers about procedures on demand.
A custom-tailored artificial intelligence (AI) platform trained on surgeon-approved educational content has shown positive results in supporting patients before and after total joint arthroplasty — a procedure to replace damaged joints with artificial implants.
Researchers at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) found that 85 per cent of patients understood the chatbot’s responses, while 75 per cent reported feeling well prepared for surgery.
The findings were presented at the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons annual meeting.
The study evaluated 40 patients scheduled for joint replacement, with 32 using the AI platform developed in partnership with Aidify.
More than 80 per cent said they would recommend the system to others.
Eytan M Debbi is a hip and knee replacement surgeon at HSS and the study’s senior author.
Dr Debbi said: “Our study showed that most patients found the technology easy to use and helpful in making them feel ready and confident going into surgery.”
The platform was trained using specific surgical protocols, enabling patients to receive personalised content based on their surgeon’s expertise.
Patients accessed it through an emailed link and could ask questions at any time.
“This platform can provide round-the-clock access to reliable, doctor-specific guidance and reduce the risk of getting inaccurate or irrelevant information from other general-purpose tools like Google or Chat GPT,” said Karlos Zepeda, clinical research coordinator at HSS and lead author.
Common queries included activity guidelines, medications, recovery expectations, dietary advice, pain management, wound care and potential complications.
Most questions were asked before surgery, with frequency diminishing afterwards.
One notable finding was the ease with which older patients navigated the technology.
Most people who need joint replacement are over 55, yet satisfaction rates were high across all age groups.
“I was surprised that older patients were able to deal with the technology as easily as they did and be as satisfied as they were with it,” said Dr Debbi, adding that some patients preferred interacting with the chatbot to speaking directly with their surgeon.
The system streamlines communication by handling repetitive or non-urgent questions that would otherwise burden clinical staff.
If it cannot answer a query or detects a possible emergency, it directs users to contact their surgeon’s office, call emergency services, or use the MyChart patient portal to reach the appropriate provider.
“Our findings show that CTAI improves patients’ health literacy, which enables more understanding, confidence and preparedness before surgery,” said Dr Zepeda.
“This directly impacts patients’ overall satisfaction and care experience.”
Researchers are still monitoring all interactions during the pilot phase to ensure accuracy and safety.
The technology currently operates without access to individual patient records.
“Only when we are confident in the technology and that patient information is secure will we enable AI to fully interact with patients’ electronic medical record and integrate it as standard of care at HSS,” said Dr Debbi.
“The potential of CTAI is unlimited. The sky’s the limit and we’re just scratching the surface right now.”
