Optimizing Speaking up Behavior for Safety and Security Through Cyberspace: A Computational Network Model of a Virtual Coach Supporting Speaking up

Previous reports show that a substantial proportion of (near) medical errors in the operating theatre is attributable to ineffective communication between healthcare professionals. Speaking up about observed medical errors is a safety behaviour which promotes effective communication between health care professionals, consequently optimising patient care by reducing medical error risk. Speaking up by health care professionals (e.g., nurses, residents) remains difficult to execute in practice despite increasing awareness of its importance. Therefore, this chapter introduces a computational model concerning the mechanisms known from psychological, observational, and medical literature which underlie the speaking up behaviour of a health care professional. It also addresses how a doctor may respond to the communicated message. Through several scenarios, we illustrate what pattern of factors causes a healthcare professional to speak up when witnessing a (near) medical error. We moreover demonstrate how introducing an observant agent can facilitate effective communication and helps to ensure patient safety through speaking up when a nurse can not. In conclusion, the current chapter introduces a computational model which predicts speaking up behaviour from the perspective of the speaker and receiver, with the addition of a virtual coach to further optimise patient safety when a patient could be in harm's way.