Chat Modes Guide

Five Specialized Chat Modes

Switching modes changes which tools are active, how Claude approaches your question, and what gets generated as output. These are the five chat modes inside ARIA — the Self-Driving Lab is a separate research platform, not a chat mode.

Paperwork Mode

For dealing with insurance companies, Medicaid, and medical bureaucracy. ARIA drafts appeal letters, medical necessity letters, and prior authorization forms — using approval-optimized language. Automatically looks up ICD-10 codes and NPI numbers.

Research Mode

For exploring the science. ARIA searches PubMed, ClinVar, bioRxiv, and your local STXBP1 knowledge base. It can run NVIDIA NIM protein tools, find clinical trials, and analyze genetic variants in 3D.

Navigation Mode

For navigating complex systems. Step-by-step walkthroughs for Medicaid applications, waiver programs, IEP/504 meetings, SSI disability, and state-specific resources.

General Chat

Open-ended conversation — explaining medical terms, emotional support, brainstorming, or anything that does not fit the other modes.

Meal Plan Mode

A sealed mode that appears only inside the Meal Planner. Claude drafts week-long meal plans aware of your family's diet type (keto / modified Atkins / standard), texture needs (IDDSI level), allergies, G-tube considerations, and medication interactions. Exits back to general chat when you close the Meal Planner. Has its own mandatory safety gate before any grocery handoff — ARIA never touches money.

Switching Modes

Click the mode selector in the toolbar at the bottom of the chat area. ARIA adapts immediately. Your chat history stays intact across mode changes. The Self-Driving Lab lives in its own full-screen modal accessed from the left sidebar, not from this mode selector.