Fostering compassionate engagement in AI research for major trauma patients: A Delphi study and best practice guidelines

Severely injured patients often cannot give consent to participate in research due to the urgency of their care. While emergency consent waivers exist, there is no national guidance on how to engage, inform, or follow up with patients in a compassionate, patient-centered way—especially in studies involving artificial intelligence (AI). Brodie’s fellowship will use public consultation, patient co-design, and a national Delphi study to develop best practice guidelines for engagement, consent, and disclosure in trauma research. The goal is to ensure that patients are respected, informed, and ethically included in AI-based healthcare innovation.