How Patient Partners Helped Refine an Intraoperative Awareness Screening Tool

The modified Brice questionnaire is an effective screening tool for intraoperative awareness with recall, but the core questions of this survey have never before been reviewed by patients for accessibility and understanding.

The modified Brice questionnaire provides a key outcome for THRIVE and our Patient Partner Panel provided specific feedback on how to make the language of the questionnaire more accessible to patients. Their recommendations were put into practice for the Full Scale phase of the study.

Click here to read more about how our Patient Partners drove change on this important questionnaire.

Bhiken Naik, MBBCh, MSCR

University of Virginia

Bhiken Naik, MBBCh, MSCR, is Vice Chair for Clinical Research and Professor of Anesthesiology and Neurological Surgery at the University of Virginia, where he also serves as Associate Director of the Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit. His research spans major spine surgery, perioperative hemostasis, acute kidney injury, and opioid management. His recent work focuses on advancing data equity in low- and middle-income countries through real-time digitization of perioperative anesthesia records using computer vision and artificial intelligence. Dr. Naik views THRIVE as a critical opportunity to better understand foundational aspects of anesthesia care with both immediate and long-term implications for patient outcomes.



Lucas Fernandez, MD DSc

University of Virginia



Dr. Lucas Fernandez received both his MD and DSc degrees from the University of Zulia in Maracaibo, Venezuela. He spent 15 years working in basic science—focusing on molecular biology and animal physiology—at the University of Virginia before transitioning into clinical research. Currently, as one of the CRCs involved in the THRIVE study, Dr. Fernandez is passionate about improving patient care and contributing to advancements in anesthesia practice. A fun fact about Dr. Fernandez: he is proud to have met and co-authored a paper with the 2007 Nobel Prize winner in Physiology or Medicine, Dr. Oliver Smithies.

Avani Jain, MBBS

University of Virginia

Dr. Avani Jain is currently working as a Clinical Research Coordinator on the THRIVE study. She holds an MBBS degree and a Master’s in Medical Informatics from the University of Missouri. Her professional interests lie in patient-centered research, and she truly enjoys collaborating with physicians, CRNAs, residents, and research teams to explore and discuss clinical cases. Being part of the THRIVE study has given her the opportunity to connect with a diverse group of professionals and deepen her understanding of tools like the 3D CAM. She is particularly excited to see the study outcomes, as believes they have the potential to significantly influence patient care practices. Outside of work, she enjoys horse riding and creating Madhubani paintings, both of which keep her balanced and inspired.

Emily Degen

University of Virginia

Emily Degen is a Clinical Research Coordinator with UVA’s Department of Anesthesiology.  She has over 9 years of experience in the medical field as a CMA but is new to research. Before this position she worked in a busy rural family medicine clinic. She is passionate about advancing medical science and improving patient outcomes. Participating in Thrive has allowed her to experience how large, multi- site studies are organized as well as reinforced how integral good communication and cooperation is within a team.  Outside of work she enjoys reading, gardening, and snuggling her cat.