ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence (AI) tool for healthcare that is quickly gaining traction in the medical field. Based on the Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT) technology, ChatGPT provides an online chatting interface that can generate and summarise text beyond the scope of conventional technology. Its latest iteration, GPT-4, can process vast amounts of data and information to create a comprehensive clinical note detailing a clinical encounter.
This technology has the potential to reduce the burden of documentation, replace scribes and help streamline the pre-visit chart review process. Patients can even use ChatGPT to query their records and obtain understandable, accurate information. This service could help reduce the risk of misunderstandings and improve the patient-clinician relationship.
In addition, GPT-4 could provide a ‘curbside consultation’ by offering helpful advice to clinicians when evaluating complicated patients. Although GPT-4 will not always provide the same level of advice as an experienced clinician, it could still help guide decisions and enhance clinical judgement.
However, it is essential to address potential risks associated with the use of GPT in healthcare. Oftentimes the output generated by GPT does not contain the exact truth. Furthermore, it may reorganise and distil electronic health records inaccurately. This necessitates that GPT-4 be used responsibly and in conjunction with clinician judgement, rather than as a replacement for it.
Legal and ethical considerations of GPT-4 in healthcare also merit attention. Though it can provide clinicians with additional helpful insights, it must not become a substitute for judgement. Direct-to-consumer use of this technology could lead to poor quality of care and a complete shift of the patient-clinician relationship.
In conclusion, ChatGPT offers many benefits to healthcare, but using it responsibly requires a better understanding of its benefits, drawbacks, and legal and ethical implications.
The ChatGPT team is composed of experts in the artificial intelligence and healthcare fields, offering a highly-skilled perspective that goes beyond the development of technology. With its in-depth understanding of this new technology, ChatGPT is well-prepared to contribute to making the most out of AI for the medical field.
Dr. Aaron Feuer is the team lead of ChatGPT and a renowned expert in artificial intelligence and healthcare. His research focuses on new uses of AI in healthcare, examining the impact of this technology on medical practice. He has been at the cutting edge of AI in healthcare for many years, advancing the understanding of these technologies for professionals and the public alike.
