This study presents adaptive computational network models covering (shared) mental models of the father and healthcare practitioner, which illustrates how they can communicate during childbirth. These models are designed using multidisciplinary literature. Therefore, first, the benefits of the HCP having a mental model for communication is presented. Then it shows the utility of a Virtual Safety Coach (AIC) intervening after a given amount of time, to compensate for actions not being taken by the healthcare practitioner. This study also presents an advanced version of the Coach, illustrating a more complex system using monitoring for determining whether the Coach performs communication or not. Simulation results indicate that integrating the partners into the childbirth process and viewing them as active actors, as well as opening up communication lines between HCP and parents’, aids in decreasing the risk of postpartum depression and in return ensuring positive child development. Moreover, both communication actions by AIC and HCP carry the same weight. This indicates that both are equally as effective in reaching the same end goal of having no risk of the father developing PPD.
Although the father is considered an actor, the mental model of the father was not included, as the AI Coach is a tool for HCP’s and therefore, the father’s internal model would have added no additional useful information to the simulations and in return, to the real-life application. However, in monitoring action of the safety coach, the willingness of the father to speak up alone, elicited a reaction in the mental model of the HCP. Therefore, promoting and applying a just safety culture into hospital organizations, where all parties involved feel welcome to speak up, has a lasting effect on the overall learning. This stems from the fact, that repeated and increasing exposure to the stimulus of the HCP being asked for support communication accelerates adaptation and can lead to long-term learning (Robinson et al., 2016). Similar to the safety culture, organizational learning allows for an ever-evolving growth of knowledge and creates stronger foundations for new and current HCPs in the medical field. This was reflected by using the notion of feedforward and feedback in the study. Applying the Virtual Safety Coach into the field and treating it as an individual reaps the benefits of using it to create a shared mental model based on the mental models existing within experts and, through this further education and improvement in medical practices. The combination of various mental models to create a shared mental model, results in optimal current knowledge.
Lastly, the strong influence of proper communication depicted in the models is not limited to the potential they depict of communication within the childbirth process. The perspective can be extended to other medical practices, which increasingly facilitates a safety culture, where open communication lies at the center.
