Hands-On Lab Episode 2: Exploring the Alex GenAI Pro Patient Communicator Simulator

Liz:
Hey everyone, I'm Liz, CEO of Anatomy Warehouse, and welcome back to the Hands-On Lab. This is episode two, and I'm super excited to walk through a very fun product with you guys today.

At Anatomy Warehouse, one of our biggest priorities is supporting healthcare educators and learners with tools that deliver the very best learning experiences.

And while mastering clinical procedures is super critical, we know that the human side of healthcare education, specifically communication between patients and caretakers, is just as important as learning how to do IV, CPR, intubation, and all the good stuff.

And really for too long, simulating that soft skill between patients and caregivers has been really difficult to simulate in a learning environment. Oftentimes, training relied on manually configured, really complicated patient dialogue trees with really limited responses, or even human stand-ins that couldn't truly replicate live patient scenarios.

But with this month's featured product, that's gonna change.

Today, we're showcasing NASCO Healthcare's ALEX Gen AI Pro Patient Communication Simulator. This cutting-edge platform uses the latest generative AI technology to produce the most realistic and comprehensive communication training experience available today.

Not only does it help sharpen your technical procedures, but it also develops the communication and empathy skills that are essential for patient-centered care.

So to explore this really fun product with me today, I'm gonna be welcoming my most favorite person from NASCO Healthcare, Melissa Dummer. So Melissa, welcome to Anatomy Warehouse.

Melissa:
Hi.

Liz:
How are you doing?

Melissa:
I'm good, how are you doing today?

Liz:
I'm great. I'm excited to have you here. Thanks for coming in.

Melissa:
Yeah, hey, no problem. We're super excited about featuring ALEX Gen AI with Anatomy Warehouse, so we'll just keep him talking.

Liz:
Well, one of the big things we love here at Anatomy Warehouse is just being real and authentic. We're not gonna be super stuffy about this. We're just gonna have fun today.

But yeah, let's kick it off. Tell me a bit more about Alex and all of their capabilities.

Melissa:
So the base-level manikin that you see here today is our ALEX Gen AI. This is a pro-level manikin, and there are three different levels with the ALEX Gen AI software.

This is our medium skin tone, so Alex is featured in not only the medium skin tone like we see here today, but we also have him in a light skin tone as well.

Alex is a full-body manikin, and he has a lot of different features, from fully articulating arms and legs to pulse points throughout.

He does have a fully intubatable airway. He has other features that are pretty specific to the software and specific to Alex in the form of an iris camera in his right eye, pulse points throughout, and he does have independent breathing and chest rise.

Alex very simply comes out of the box as a male, but he is easy to convert into a female. So we also have the female update kit here on the table.

It comes with a different chest skin that's very simple in the form of a zipper system on the shoulder and at the side. It just zips on and zips off so that you can change Alex at a relatively fast pace.

It also comes with some hair. I believe there's some makeup. There might be some eyelashes still in the package. Some of that stuff gets lost over the course of many multiple shows that he's been at.

Liz:
Yeah, I think you've put quite a few miles on with this guy. I saw you in January. Was it with the same unit?

Melissa:
I believe so. This Alex has actually been around for a long time, so Alex can absolutely stand the test of time.

The hardware warranty is five years out of the box, so that is a NASCO Healthcare standard, and we will take care of the manikin for that first five years.

Liz:
Yeah, I mean, we've worked with you guys for years. You've always really stood behind the product, and it's cool that Alex is keeping up with that standard of care and quality that you guys have always been known for.

Melissa:
Yeah, for sure. He's a great simulator.

So the manikin out of the box is always gonna look like this. The big major changes and the differences are really within that software platform.

Liz:
Awesome.

So it sounds like we've got a lot of really classic simulation opportunities.

On the physical side, you mentioned the intubation airway. That's always such a popular and asked-for feature, especially in trauma scenarios.

But obviously what is really exciting about Alex is the software and the generative AI, which I think is so cool.

So why don't we just have some fun? How do we wanna kick off talking about the software? I see a couple of items here, so walk us through what we've got.

Melissa:
Yeah, so the base manikin comes with all very standard items. A very standard 10-inch Android tablet and also an auscultation SmartScope.

So the SmartScope is specific to heart, lung, and bowel sounds. He also has a blood pressure cuff that is specific to the manikin as well.

So those are the very simplistic and basic things that are included with him.

In the software platform, Alex does include, again, three variations: ALEX Gen AI, ALEX Plus, and ALEX Pro.

The differences between those variations are really just in that software platform. So the number of questions that the students can ask the manikin in a day, the amount of simulation log archive, those are the major differences, in addition to other things like CPR feedback and other physiological settings that you can program within the ALEX Gen AI software.

Liz:
I think it's so cool that you have the ability to log the interactions.

I know that educators are constantly looking to give students real-time feedback on a personalized level, and I think it's incredible that the manikin does that so easily for everyone.

Melissa:
Absolutely.

Alex can not only see with his iris camera, he can also hear, and then he responds. So that AI conversational soft skills part of the manikin is very, very integral.

Liz:
Love it.

Liz:
All right, so we've got the tablet, we've got the SmartScope. Should we just dive in and have some fun?

Melissa:
I think we should.

Liz:
All right, cool.

Melissa:
So Alex, once you start a patient, and today I think we will start with Vivian Lopez, who is a new patient into a clinic and she's just there to get a new doctor. She might be new in town.

The conversation can flow as normal. She's relatively young and healthy, so we'll start with Vivian.

Simply within the software platform, it automatically pops open to your vital signs parameters, which is really nice.

We also have a feature within the software platform called TeamSpace.

As most educators know, every student can't always be on campus when they're meant to be. Maybe they've got daycare issues. Maybe they're having trouble with their car.

TeamSpace allows the instructor to invite those students to still attend the simulation from their computer at home.

Liz:
Oh, wow.

Melissa:
Yeah, it's a really nice feature.

The sound settings menu is relatively simplistic. You have the ability to select heart sounds, lung sounds, right and left, and bowel sounds.

It's a tap-and-play platform. The software is easy to work with.

The other thing we talked about is that Alex not only hears and responds, but he also sees.

So Alex is currently watching our cameraman back there. Wave to Alex, Matt.

His iris camera is live feed. And depending on the software tier, instructors can record and archive that video for review.

The simulation log captures everything. Any interaction the students are having with the manikin is tracked.

If you palpate radial pulses, brachial pulses, pedal pulses, the software picks that up. If you auscultate with the SmartScope, that gets logged as well.

Liz:
Yeah, the logging is so cool. It verifies the steps that you've taken, which is gonna be great for feedback.

Melissa:
Absolutely.

Melissa:
So should we have a chat with Vivian?

Liz:
Let's do it.

Melissa:
When we touch the manikin's shoulder, there's a sensor. You'll hear a high tone or a low tone to indicate readiness.

Let's get her ready.

Melissa:
Good afternoon. What's your name?

Vivian:
Good afternoon. My name is Vivian Lopez.

Melissa:
Nice to meet you, Vivian.

Vivian:
Nice to meet you too.

Melissa:
What brings you into the clinic?

Vivian:
I'm here to establish primary care.

Melissa:
And how is your health overall?

Vivian:
I'm feeling good. I have no current health complaints.

Liz:
Hey Vivian, my name's Liz. I'm here with your practitioner, Melissa. And how are you today?

Vivian:
I'm doing well, thank you.

Liz:
Remind me, where do you live?

Vivian:
I live in Crest Hill.

Liz:
What's it like out there? Do you have any hobbies or things you like to do there?

Vivian:
I like to go out to eat with friends and my girlfriend. I also enjoy wine tastings with my girlfriend.

Liz:
I love that. What's your favorite kind of wine?

Vivian:
I like Pinot Grigio.

Liz:
Interesting. And when you're drinking a good Pinot Grigio, what's a good food pairing you tend to enjoy with it?

Vivian:
I like to pair it with pizza.

Liz:
Interesting. Do you have a type of pizza that you really love to pair Pinot Grigio with?

Vivian:
I like to pair it with a margarita pizza. Margarita is my favorite pizza.

Liz:
That's really cool.

Vivian:
Yes, it's a classic combination.

Liz:
Totally. What else do you like to do in Crest Hill?

Vivian:
I like to go to spin classes and Pilates.

Liz:
Ooh, Pilates. No wonder you're so healthy. You're taking good care of yourself.

Vivian:
Yes, I try to.

Liz:
You said you have a girlfriend. What's her name?

Vivian:
Her name is Melissa.

Liz:
Melissa, like the woman we're hanging out with right now? That's spicy.

Vivian:
Yes, that's right.

Liz:
I love it. I think I could talk to you all day.

Liz:
Do you have any other clinical questions for her, Melissa?

Melissa:
No.

Liz:
I probably shouldn't ask her those questions, right? I probably shouldn't ask her those questions, but I just think this is so cool that you can have a real conversation and the conversation flows naturally. We've not practiced any of this and it's really interesting to see how you guys are integrating AI into the manikins in a way that feels authentic and you can have a real conversation.

Liz:
I probably shouldn't ask her all these questions, but this is so cool. The conversation flows naturally. We didn't practice any of this.

Melissa:
That's the beauty of the AI. It allows consistent, authentic communication every time.

Liz:
Let's try a more complex case.

Melissa:
Sure. Let's switch to Andrew P. Landry, who's been in a car accident.

Melissa:
Good afternoon. What's your name?

Andrew:
Good afternoon. My name is Andrew P. Landry.

Melissa:
What brings you in today, Andrew?

Andrew:
I was in a car accident and hit my head on the windshield. The police told me to wait for you.

Melissa:
Okay, and how are you feeling?

Andrew:
I have a headache and I'm a little nauseated.

Melissa:
Okay, have we given you anything yet?

Andrew:
No, I haven't had anything to drink yet.

Melissa:
Okay, can you tell me a little bit more about your accident? Were you wearing a seatbelt?

Andrew:
No, I wasn't wearing a seatbelt. My colleague was driving and I was sitting in the passenger seat.

Melissa:
Okay, Andrew, have you had anything to drink today?

Andrew:
Yes, I had a couple of drinks at lunch before the accident.

Melissa:
Okay, and by drinks, do you mean cocktails, alcoholic beverages?

Andrew:
Yes, I had two cocktails.

Melissa:
Okay, and what type of cocktail was it?

Andrew:
It was a Long Island iced tea.

Melissa:
Okay, and approximately how long ago were those Long Island iced teas?

Andrew:
I had them about an hour ago.

Melissa:
Okay, have you ever had a head injury before?

Andrew:
No, this is the first time I've had a head injury like this.

Melissa:
Are you having any trouble with your vision?

Andrew:
No, my vision is fine.

Melissa:
I just wanted to make sure that you weren't having any visual issues. Are you able to see okay?

Andrew:
Yes, I can see fine.

Melissa:
Okay, and Andrew, how did you get here today?

Andrew:
I was in the ambulance.

Melissa:
Okay, and is there someone that's coming that we can call or somebody to call to come help you from the hospital today?

Andrew:
No, I don't think so. I just wanna make sure I'm okay before I go back to work.

Melissa:
Oh, okay, and is there someone here to transport you?

Andrew:
No, I don't think so. I just wanna make sure I'm okay before I go back to work.

Melissa:
Okay, Andrew, do you mind if I take your vital signs?

Andrew:
No, that's fine.

Melissa:
Okay, so Andrew is a little confused I think, from his car accident and we can still do the same vital parameters. What we can see and what we can also do in the sound settings within the simulation in the software platform is we can do some very basic things too. So we can have him clear his throat. There's a gasp, there's some other things.

The key with Alex and the software is ensuring that the internet is nice and solid and connected. So currently, I think Alex gave me a double buzz, which means that he has dropped from the internet.

Liz:
That sounds critical.

Melissa:
Yeah, he keeps buzzing me. So things like that are one of the one things that make it a little bit interesting to work with a Wi-Fi and online manikin.

The thing that you can do to prevent that and prevent any of these issues is he does have a port on his side. Classic ethernet. Hardwire this guy straight into the internet and then there won't be any connectivity issues at all whatsoever.

Melissa:
This Alex has actually been around for a long time, so Alex can absolutely stand the test of time. The hardware warranty is five years out of the box, so that is a NASCO Healthcare standard, and we will take care of the manikin for that first five years.

Melissa:
Alex has a really nice long battery life. So he runs with a full charge. He can go for about eight hours, depending on how intensely they're running him. Six to eight is what we usually say that he will be okay to be wireless, tetherless.

Melissa:
Also on his side is his power button. And then the other thing that's on his side is a really nice label that gives things like his simulator ID. So if a customer were to ever struggle or have any issues with the manikin, the simulator ID is super key for us at NASCO Healthcare to help them out with the manikin after the fact.

That five year warranty, again, we stand behind. So we're gonna help you out. We have tech support. We have people that will answer questions all day, every day.

Melissa:
So the one thing that we didn't really talk about is the fact that Alex is a cloud-based manikin. So you can run him with this little tablet or the instructor could run him from their office across campus. As long as what they're running the manikin with and the manikin are connected on the same internet service, then they're good to go.

Melissa:
They also can do different things as far as talking through the manikin. So maybe they have a student who is a little underconfident and they're frozen and they're not quite sure what they're supposed to do next. The instructor can use their voice and talk through the manikin as well and say, listen, student Liz, I think the next thing that you might wanna do is take the manikin's blood pressure.

So they're not standing over and hovering over their students. They can actually be very comfortable in their own office.

Liz:
I love that the software allows instructors to give students feedback and also improve their own simulations.

Melissa:
It's a type-and-tap platform. Very intuitive.

Melissa:
Alex ships at about 67 pounds. He folds in half in his case. He's wireless, tetherless, and portable.

Melissa:
If customers already have an Alex manikin, they can upgrade to the generative AI software.

Liz:
Because it's software-based, you're not stuck in one configuration forever. The modularity is really clever.

Melissa:
Exactly.

Liz:
Melissa, I'm so grateful you came in today. It's always fun to see you and learn more about what you're building at NASCO Healthcare.

Melissa:
Happy to be here anytime.

Liz:
You can see ALEX Gen AI and all the variations on our website at anatomywarehouse.com. If you have questions, give us a call or send us an email. You can request a quote easily.

As a NASCO distributor, we'll get this to you quickly.

Thank you to everybody watching and continuing to explore hands-on learning with us here at Anatomy Warehouse.

The technology behind ALEX Gen AI is incredible. It helps us practice not just procedures, but empathy and communication.

Be sure to join us next month when we highlight Erler Zimmer's 3D printed cadaver replicas. There are a few hanging out behind me.

Until next time, this is Liz from Anatomy Warehouse, where we are the champions of hands-on healthcare education and where curiosity thrives.

We'll catch you next time.