Developed by Dr. Jawahar Thomas, physician, entrepreneur, and prolific figure in Australia’s medical innovation industry, MEKSI (short for Medical Knowledge Simulator) hones medical students and doctors’ consultation skills through AI-powered virtual role play.
Diagnostic error is one of the most crucial safety problems in healthcare today. In the United States alone, 40,000-80,000 patients are estimated to die annually from major diagnostic errors.
Due to the huge amount of information doctors must commit to memory, human error is always a possibility in their field of work. Imagine having to process 200x the amount of data the average person does in their daily life!
Diagnostic error is common, costly, and harmful. Yet it can be avoided through consistent practice and training.
Clinical role-play is often seen as an effective training method for diagnosing patients. Clinical scenarios are simulated in an academic setting with the help of actors. Medical students will then apply their communication, problem-solving, and decision-making skills to make an accurate diagnosis.
Yet role play is not always viable, and its effectiveness depends highly on the availability of a trained supervisor. Since it involves human actors, its results can be inconsistent. In addition, actors are often expensive to hire and difficult to find.
Enter MEKSI – short for Medical Knowledge Simulator. Developed by Dr. Jawahar Thomas, a physician, entrepreneur, and prolific figure in Australia’s medical innovation industry, this promising educational tool enables medical students and doctors to hone their consultation skills through AI-powered virtual role play.
It creates Virtual Standardised Patients (VSPs) using artificial intelligence, which allows health professionals to safely practise their patient consultation skills without the need for human actors.
MEKSI also serves as an objective assessment tool with a wide range of potential uses in the academic setting and beyond. MEKSI provides feedback in the form of a comprehensive scorecard, which serves as a skill benchmark for the individual user. Medical students and professionals seeking continuous development can refer to this scorecard in the process of reviewing for exams, or during self-study. Medical recruiters may also harness MEKSI’s capacity for standardised assessment in identifying ideal candidates.
MEKSI’s simulations and scoring process are aligned with Australian and global clinical standards, ensuring a high-quality training experience.
MEKSI’s commitment to patient safety began in 2016 with the granting of its first Australian Innovation Patent. In 2018, MEKSI received funding from Artesian Capital, and became an eligible ESIC (Early Stage Innovation Company), providing tax benefits to potential investors. Subscription packages will launch in the near future. Meanwhile, interested users can try a free case. MEKSI’s main office is located at 165 Ponds Boulevard, The Ponds, NSW 2769 (Phone: +61 2 9629 3732).
