ChatGPT as a Support Tool for Informed Consent and Preoperative Patient Education Prior to Penile Prosthesis Implantation

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Artificial intelligence (AI), particularly natural language processing (NLP) models such as ChatGPT, presents novel opportunities for patient education and informed consent. This study evaluated ChatGPT’s use as a support tool for informed consent before penile prosthesis implantation (PPI) in patients with erectile dysfunction (ED) following radical prostatectomy. Methods: ChatGPT-4 answered 20 frequently asked questions across four categories: ED and treatment, PPI surgery, complications, and postoperative care. Three senior urologists independently rated information quality using the DISCERN instrument on a Likert scale ranging from 1 (poor quality) to 5 (good quality). Readability was assessed using the Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) and Flesch–Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL) formulas, and inter-rater reliability was measured using intraclass correlation coefficients. Results: The inter-rater reliability coefficient was 0.76 (95% CI 0.71–0.80). Mean DISCERN scores indicated moderate quality: 2.79 ± 0.92 for ED and treatment, 2.57 ± 0.98 for surgery, 2.65 ± 0.86 for complications, and 2.74 ± 0.90 for postoperative care. High scores (>4) were achieved for clarity and relevance, while complex issues, such as risks and alternative treatments, scored the lowest (<2). The FRE scores ranged from 9.8 to 28.39, and FKGL scores ranged from 14.04 to 17.41, indicating complex readability suitable for college-level comprehension. Conclusions: ChatGPT currently provides variable and often inadequate quality information without sufficient comprehensibility for informed patient decisions, indicating the need for further improvements in quality and readability.

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