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Original Medical Notes Versus AI Plain-Language Summaries
Sponsor: University of Texas at Austin
Summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn how patients feel when reading their medical notes. The study compares reading the original doctor's note with reading a simpler, Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated version written in plain language in adults receiving musculoskeletal specialty care. The main questions the study aims to answer are: 1. Does reading a plain-language summary change how patients feel about their doctor or their clinic experience? 2. Does the type of note affect how comfortable, reassured, or worried patients feel? Researchers will compare patients who read their original clinic note with patients who read an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated plain-language summary to see whether simpler language changes patient understanding, trust, or emotional responses. Participants will: * Read either their original clinic note or a plain-language summary of the note * Complete short questionnaires about their experience, emotions, and trust in their clinician * Optionally provide written comments about how it felt to read the information
Official title: Patient Experience and Trust When Viewing Original Medical Notes Versus Large Language Model (LLM)-Generated Plain Language Summaries
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
18 Years - 89 Years
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
135
Start Date
2026-06-01
Completion Date
2027-02-01
Last Updated
2026-05-22
Healthy Volunteers
No
Interventions
LLM-Generated Medical Note
The intervention consists of presenting participants with an LLM-generated plain-language summary of a prior musculoskeletal clinic note. The summary will be produced from a curated version of the original documentation after removal of all protected health information (PHI), macros, and administrative content. Physical therapy notes will be excluded, and normal examination or imaging findings may be simplified (e.g., "Exam otherwise normal"). The LLM will be instructed to preserve clinical meaning while reducing jargon and improving readability. The summary will be concise, neutral in tone, and written in patient-friendly language without adding new medical information or altering clinical recommendations. The specific LLM platform is not yet finalized but will likely use the most current version of ChatGPT and/or Perplexity available through institutional access.
Control (Original Medical Note)
Participants randomized to the control arm will review the original clinical note from their prior musculoskeletal clinic visit. The note will be presented in its original format without language simplification. Participants will review the note on an iPad prior to their clinic visit and complete questionnaires assessing trust, experience, and emotional responses.