As many as 68 percent of late-stage cancer patients leave their doctor\u2019s offices either underestimating the severity of their disease<\/a>, overestimating their life expectancy<\/a>\u2014or both. These misunderstandings can hinder the ability of patients and their families to make realistic decisions about whether to continue aggressive treatments or instead turn to palliative care.<\/p>\n To address the problem, University of Rochester<\/a> computer scientists, palliative care specialists, and practicing oncologists are perfecting SOPHIE (Standardized Online Patient for Healthcare Interaction Education)\u2014an online virtual \u201cpatient\u201d that helps physicians practice how to communicate effectively with late-stage cancer patients about their disease.<\/p>\n Effective communication in this context often means demonstrating empathy and understanding of the complex emotions that patients are experiencing.<\/p>\n \u201cDuring difficult conversations about facing the potential of one\u2019s own death, patients are frightened and don\u2019t know how to ask the right questions, and clinicians may oversimplify, omit, or sugar-coat information, or feel too pressed for time to address patients\u2019 emotions,\u201d says Ehsan Hoque<\/a>, an associate professor of computer science<\/a> at Rochester\u2019s Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. The COVID-19 pandemic has made effective communication even more difficult by causing increasing reliance on virtual rather than in-person interactions between patients and physicians, adds Hoque.<\/p>\n Hoque is a pioneer in the area of research that shows it is possible for people to learn and improve their social and interpersonal skills by interacting with automated systems. For example, he helped develop LISSA (Live Interactive Social Skills Assistant)\u2014a tool that\u2019s been used effectively by people on the autism spectrum\u2014in collaboration with professor of computer science Len Schubert.<\/p>\n