The AI-CARE (for AI to Create Accessible & Reliable patient Education materials) study investigates the use of Generative AI (GAI) to support primary care practices in delivering accurate, accessible patient education. With the rise of health misinformation, increasingly complex patient needs, and a strained healthcare workforce, primary care must find new ways to communicate trusted health information effectively. Leveraging the Canadian Primary Care Information Network (CPIN), this study will generate patient education messages on key health topics using both GAI and human content experts.
Diverse review panels of patients and providers will assess the messages on quality of information, adaptability, and relevance and usefulness, with special attention to socioeconomic factors that may impact message accessibility. CPIN will recruit a diverse sample of participants to evaluate both GAI- and human-generated messages. Review panels will provide structured feedback via surveys, aiming to identify differences in content quality and effectiveness.
The study’s goal is to determine whether GAI can produce high-quality health information that meets primary care standards. Results will reveal how GAI tools can support primary care in reducing misinformation and administrative burdens, fostering patient-provider relationships, and improving health equity. Findings will inform best practices for integrating GAI in primary care to ensure accessible, timely patient education across Canada.
Recruitment of primary care providers and patients for review panels
Recruitment of primary care providers and patients (francophones and anglophones) for our review panels is currently completed! Members of the review panel will be asked to review:
- 4 messages per topic: 2 short (less than 900 characters) and 2 long (up to one page)
- 4 topics per month
We anticipate that reviewing each topic will take approximately 1h or less. This commitment will last for about a year, during which members of the review panel will be compensated for their time:
- Providers: 100$ per hour (or per topic), for a maximum of $400 per month
- Patients: 25$ per hour (or per topic), for a maximum of $100 per month
Project Updates
Phase 4 (October 2025 – January 2026): Evaluation Consolidation
- Number of topics evaluated: 12
- Topics covered: Diabetes prevention, Postpartum depression, Upper respiratory tract infections (adult and pediatric), Breast cancer awareness, Dementia prevention, Falls prevention, COVID-19, Carbon monoxide poisoning, Urinary tract infections, Teen mental health, active outdoor play
- Other highlights
- Plans for a “AI in Primary Care” newsletter preparation
- Transition toward analysis and dissemination
Phase 3 (August – September 2025): Evaluation Consolidation and Process Optimization
- Number of topics evaluated: 8
- Topics covered: Heat and cognition, Polypharmacy and medication use, Heat exhaustion, Vaccines for children, Screen time for children (0–5 years), Pediatric upper respiratory tract infections, Social isolation and heatwaves, Vaccines for older adults
- Other highlights:
- Standardized content guidelines were shared with the content creation team and AI tools
- Continuous data quality control was implemented using scripted checks
Phase 2 (May – July 2025): Study Launch and initial evaluations
- Number of topics evaluated: 9
- Topics covered: Alcohol consumption guidelines, Lice, Sleep, Stress and current events, High blood pressure, Sun safety, Cow’s milk protein allergy, Measles, Social isolation
- Other highlights: the first AI vs human message comparisons were completed
Phase 1 (Octobre 2024– Avril 2025): Project Development and Implementation Framework
- Study setup and approvals: The AI-CARE study protocol was completed and approved by the Research Ethics Board, including amendments to support recruitment through existing CPIN and ACHH surveys.
- Team planning: Key planning meetings were held to finalize study procedures, review panels, and orientation sessions for both patient and provider participants.
- Recruitment: Patients and primary care providers were recruited from both English- and French-speaking participants involved in other CPIN studies.
- Training completed: Training sessions for the content team and for patient and provider review panels were delivered in April, in both English and French.
- Launch and dissemination: The study was scheduled to begin in May and was presented at the Department of Family Medicine retreat of the University of Ottawa and the Journée de Recherche Montfort.