GlyphAI: Bridging the Communication Gap for Patients with Low English Proficiency
- Program: Biomedical Engineering
- Course: EN.580.X12 BME Design Team
Project Description:
Existing methods for the communication of follow-up healthcare, medication instructions, and diagnostic information have been reported as ineffective for Limited English Proficiency (LEP) patients, leading to a disproportionate number of adverse events and longer hospital stays for LEP patients compared to English-speaking patients. Instead of relying on traditional translation methods, our service seeks to utilize visual-learning to overcome language and health literacy barriers. Thus, leveraging Large Language Models (LLMs) to automatically generate pictographic translations of medical instructions may have the potential to bridge this gap in communication for LEP patients. To address this need, with the input of physicians, nurses, and pharmacists from Bayview Hospital, we developed a syntax for pictographic representations of medication instructions provided during hospital discharge. Generated images were tested for comprehension accuracy through the use of surveys. Using this syntax, we developed a service involving the translation of verbal medication instructions into pictographs.
Project Photo:
The GlyphAI icon has a picture frame with a simple mountain landscape and the letters “AI” in another frame, symbolizing the project’s focus on visual aids and artificial intelligence to improve healthcare communication. The overlapping frames represent layers of understanding, essential for bridging language and literacy gaps.
