Virtual Family Simulation Pilot Kick-Off

DeGarmo has officially launched the national pilot of its Virtual Family Member (VFM) Simulation platform—an innovative AI-powered training solution designed to help Donation Advocates strengthen the communication skills needed for some of healthcare's most meaningful and emotionally complex conversations. 

Developed specifically for Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs), the platform enables Donation Advocates to engage in realistic, interactive conversations with AI-driven virtual family members that represent a variety of donation scenarios. Each simulation provides a safe, repeatable environment where advocates can practice responding to grief, navigating objections, building trust, and refining their communication skills before applying these skills in real donor-family conversations. Eight OPOs from across the United States are participating in the pilot, representing a diverse group of organizations committed to advancing professional development and improving family support. Throughout the pilot, participants will complete multiple simulations, review recordings of their conversations, provide detailed usability feedback, and participate in individual interviews and focus groups to help shape the future of the technology. 

The primary objective of the pilot is to evaluate the platform's realism, usability, and effectiveness as a scalable development resource. Equally important, the project will help refine the virtual family member personas, improve conversation quality, validate reflection and coaching tools, and identify opportunities to further strengthen the learning experience. 

This pilot represents an exciting step forward in DeGarmo's mission to advance donation advocacy through talent science and innovative learning technologies. By combining artificial intelligence with evidence-based communication development, the Virtual Family Member Simulation platform has the potential to provide OPOs with an affordable, scalable, and on-demand approach to preparing advocates for the conversations that matter most.