Parental Experience in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Assessing the Impact of ChatGPT on Parental Satisfaction

A BSTRACT Background: Artificial intelligence-based tools such as ChatGPT may help address parental engagement and confidence during hospitalization. This study aims to evaluate the effect of a ChatGPT-based bilingual communication platform on parental satisfaction in the neonatal intensive care unit using the validated EMpowerment of PArents in THe Intensive Care-30 (EMPATHIC-30) questionnaire. Materials and Methods: This prospective pre–post interventional study was conducted from January to April 2025 in the Neonatology Division, King Fahad Armed Forces Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. A total of 100 parents (53 fathers and 47 mothers) of infants hospitalized for at least 48 h completed the EMPATHIC-30 survey before and after the intervention. A secure bilingual (Arabic/English) ChatGPT platform was implemented as an adjunct to standard communication. Parents were able to ask questions regarding their infant’s condition, care, and procedures. Responses were reviewed for clinical accuracy, empathy, and cultural appropriateness by the neonatology team. Participants used the platform for 1 week before completing the postintervention assessment. Changes in mean EMPATHIC-30 domain scores (Information, Care and Treatment, Organization, Parental Perception, and Professional Attitude) were analyzed using the repeated-measures general linear models adjusted for demographic and clinical variables.