An architecture of virtual patient simulation platform to train doctors to break bad news

Abstract : The way doctors deliver bad news related to damage associated with care has a significant impact on the therapeutic process. In order to facilitate the doctor's training, a simulation system has been developed to train doctors to break bad news with a virtual patient. The virtual patient's dialog behavior, based on the notion of " common ground " , has been specifically designed from the analysis of real training sessions in medical institutions and in light of pedagogical objectives. The doctors can interact in natural language with the virtual patient on three different platforms: PC, virtual reality headset, and virtual reality room. A tool has been developed to automatically record and then replay the interaction between the doctor and the virtual patient to debrief with an expert about this simulation.