Consumers are beginning to use AI for more than just entertainment and trivia. Many patients are using AI chatbots for mental health counseling and to answer medical questions they are unable to get from their doctors. A recent article in The New York Times explains:
A 79-year-old retired lawyer in Los Angeles, Ms. Goldberg wanted to eat more protein, something she had read could help rebuild bone density. She hoped her primary care provider could tell her exactly how much was enough.
She dashed off a message, but the response left her feeling that the doctor hadn’t read her question, or even her chart. The doctor offered generic advice: Stop smoking (she doesn’t smoke), avoid alcohol (she doesn’t drink), exercise regularly (she works out three times a week). Most infuriatingly, she was advised to eat “adequate protein to support bone health,” no specifics included.
Frustrated and annoyed by her doctor’s response, Ms. Goldberg posed the same question to ChatGPT. The AI chatbot replied with specific directions on daily protein intake recommendations in grams.
The NY Times article did not consider whether it was a good use of her doctor’s time to advise Ms. Goldberg’s on diet. Doctors are not trained in nutrition. Was the doctor supposed to pull her medical file, review her bone density status, brush up on past discussions of diet, and compose a precise recommendation? In the time it took to respond with a concise answer the doctor could have seen an additional patient. ChatGPT did the job better and faster than her doctor, all for free. NYT goes on to say:
Driven in part by frustrations with the medical system, more and more Americans are seeking advice from A.I. Last year, about one in six adults — and about a quarter of adults under 30 — used chatbots to find health information at least once a month, according to a survey from KFF, a health policy research group.
Some people use AI chatbots for medical information eagerly, while others (like Ms. Goldberg) get annoyed with their doctors and turn to chatbots in frustration. But why the hesitation? Why do we expect our doctors to drop everything and tell us what ChatGPT can do for free in seconds, from the convenience of our own homes?
In dozens of interviews with The New York Times, Americans described using chatbots to try to compensate for the health system’s shortcomings. A self-employed woman in Wisconsin routinely asked ChatGPT whether it was safe to forgo expensive appointments. A writer in rural Virginia used ChatGPT to navigate surgical recovery in the weeks before a doctor could see her. A clinical psychologist in Georgia sought answers after her providers brushed off concerns about a side effect of her cancer treatment.
At its core, the doctor-patient relationship is an information exchange. That relationship started to fray decades ago when doctors began looking to health insurers for reimbursement rather than directly to their patients. In addition, the AMA convinced Congress to freeze the number of residency slots back in 1997. The resulting physician shortage means your doctor is terribly busy. Too busy to answer your stupid questions.
AI chatbots are achieving a level of sophistication that rivals doctor’s knowledge. Dedicated, validated medical chatbots are arriving on the scene. Your doctor already has access to medical AI tools. It remains to be seen how these will be used and paid for in the future. Will they charge by the consult like your doctor? Will there be a subscription fee? Will clinics create business models where chatbots diagnose disease and the physician merely approves the treatment and authorizes prescriptions? The future of medical AI looks bright if it can be harnessed in a way that benefits patients rather than being hijacked by the medical establishment.
Read more at New York Times: A.I. Chatbots Are Changing How Patients Get Medical Advice
Also see The Goodman Institute Health Blog:
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