Development and Application of an AI Chatbot for Perioperative Health Education in Thyroid Cancer Patients

Development and Application of an Artificial Intelligence Chatbot for Perioperative Health Education Among Thyroid Cancer Patients: A Quasi-Experimental Study

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the usefulness and effectiveness of a newly developed artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot for health education in thyroid cancer patients during the period around their surgery (the perioperative period). The main questions it aims to answer are:

Does the AI chatbot improve patients' readiness for discharge, quality of recovery, and active engagement in their own healthcare compared to traditional education methods?

How do patients rate the usability and friendliness of this new AI chatbot system?

Researchers will compare a group of patients who receive traditional health education (the control group) with a subsequent group of patients who use the new AI chatbot built on the "Coze" platform (the intervention group) to see if the AI chatbot leads to better recovery experiences and higher patient engagement.

Participants will be asked to:

Access and interact with the AI chatbot to receive personalized health guidance, ask questions, and get instant feedback during their hospital stay.

Complete a set of questionnaires on the morning of their hospital discharge to evaluate their recovery quality, readiness to leave the hospital, and level of engagement in their care.

Complete an extra survey regarding the usability and acceptability of the chatbot system (only for participants in the AI chatbot group).

Background and Rationale:

Thyroid cancer treatment and care involve long-term medication management and follow-up monitoring. While the application of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols has significantly shortened the length of hospital stays, it has also reduced the time available for face-to-face clinician-patient communication. Traditional health education models often struggle to meet the continuous and diverse information needs of patients during the perioperative period. This study aims to develop a novel health education chatbot based on the "Coze" platform to provide personalized, instant, and interactive perioperative guidance for thyroid cancer patients, thereby exploring a new digital approach to patient education and supportive care.

Study Design and Timeline:

This study utilizes a non-randomized, sequentially controlled design (a before-after study) and consists of two consecutive phases:

Control Phase (Traditional Education): Patients admitted during this period will receive standard, routine perioperative health education provided by the nursing staff.

Intervention Phase (AI Chatbot Education): Following the control phase, the newly developed AI chatbot will be implemented. Patients admitted during this period will have access to the chatbot in addition to routine care.

The AI Chatbot Intervention:

The AI chatbot is designed to provide comprehensive, 24/7 interactive support. Its core function modules include pre-admission preparation, postoperative care guidance, medication management (such as thyroid hormone replacement therapy), diet and lifestyle advice, and follow-up scheduling. Patients can ask questions in natural language and receive immediate feedback tailored to their surgical stage.

Data Collection Procedure:

For both groups, clinical and survey data will be collected systematically. On the morning of hospital discharge, participants in both the control and intervention groups will be asked to complete a set of standardized questionnaires evaluating their quality of recovery, readiness for discharge, and level of patient activation. Additionally, participants in the intervention group will com

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosed with thyroid cancer in accordance with the clinical diagnostic criteria, and confirmed by ultrasonography and histopathological examination.
• Scheduled to undergo elective surgery for thyroid cancer.
• Mentally competent to understand the study protocol, and voluntarily provided written informed consent to participate in this study.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Aged less than 18 years.
• Concurrently diagnosed with malignant tumors in other organs or severe complications/dysfunctions of other major organs.
• Patients who are anticipated to be unable to complete the study protocol due to plans for hospital/department transfer, or high risk of treatment discontinuation.