We’ve seen AI used in coding, music, art, and search. So why not health too, right? In a way it makes sense. AI draws from various online sources, including journals, studies, and more, so they should be somewhat adept at answering medical questions. As it turns out, doctors think AI does have a place in health, but maybe not in its existing form.
Doctors think AI can play a role in our health
Speaking to TechCrunch , Dr. Sina Bari thinks that it might not be a bad thing. Bari, a practicing surgeon and AI healthcare leader at iMerit , says that newly-launched features like ChatGPT Health could make it a powerful tool for patients. “I think it’s great. It is something that’s already happening, so formalizing it so as to protect patient information and put some safeguards around it […] is going to make it all the more powerful for patients to use.”
However, Bari doesn’t believe that AI will completely replace doctors in the health sector just yet. He cited an example of a patient using ChatGPT, where the answer the AI gave that patient was technically accurate, but it did not apply to them. Other doctors also recognize the potential benefits of AI, but are a bit more cautious in their optimism.
Dr. Nigam Shah, a professor of medicine at Stanford and chief data scientist for Stanford Health Care, cited the long wait time of 3-6 months to see a doctor. “If your choice is to wait six months for a real doctor, or talk to something that is not a doctor but can do some things for you, which would you pick?”
Still not perfect
That being said, AI is still far from perfect. While it can quickly source information and summarize complex topics, it doesn’t always get it right. The biggest issue is still hallucinations. This is where AI makes up answers on the spot that are completely wrong and fabricated.
This means that unless you have a rough idea of the topic, you might walk away with the wrong answer thinking that you’re right. This is especially dangerous if you are using AI for health. This could lead to wrong self-diagnosis, wrong medication, and wrong approaches for treatment.
This doesn’t mean you should avoid using AI completely. You can always ask questions about your health . However, always take it with a grain of salt and consult with a proper doctor before deciding on a treatment plan.
