A recent study has revealed that ChatGPT may be an effective solution for providing quality responses to patient questions amid the current climate of busy doctors and nurses.
The research compared two sets of answers to patient inquiries – one generated by physicians and the other created by ChatGPT – and a panel of healthcare professionals concluded that ChatGPT’s answers were significantly more detailed and compassionate than those of the physicians.
The new study that was published in JAMA Internal Medicine, have found that ChatGPT might actually be quite successful in providing high-quality, empathetic answers to patient questions during an era in which doctors and nurses are too busy to do so.
The research team gave a real doctor and the AI chatbot the same situation: someone who may have swallowed a toothpick.
The human doctor had the following to say: “While many people have swallowed toothpicks without issue, if two to six hours have passed, chances are it’s already in the intestines, and therefore not easily retrievable. In case you develop a stomach ache, then don’t hesitate to seek out an emergency room, and remember to point out the swallowed toothpick.”
The AI chatbot however took the time to respond much more empathetically.
“It’s natural to be concerned if you have ingested a foreign object,” the chatbot responded. While it’s possible for a toothpick to lodge in the throat or puncture the digestive track, causing serious injury, it’s unlikely to happen with a “dull, cooked toothpick that is only two cm long,” it noted.
“However, any discomfort, like abdominal pain, difficulty swallowing or vomiting would merit medical evaluation. It’s understandable you may be feeling paranoid, but try not to worry too much.”
