AI shaping our health care decisions, even whether we go to the doctor

article

A person sits on a sofa with a laptop and searches the internet, including ChatGPT, for search results on symptoms of illness such as “appendicitis symptoms”, with a hot water bottle lying next to them. (Photo by Philip Dulian/picture alliance via Ge

For nearly half of Americans, artificial intelligence plays some sort of role in their health care decisions, a new Gallup poll found. 

Big picture view:

In most cases, that role supplements other medical advice or serves as a way to get quick answers. However, in some cases, AI is being used as a substitute for a trip to the doctor’s office altogether.

Paging Dr. AI

Over 70% of respondents told pollsters that they used AI for some purpose in the past 30 days; however, the reasons given did vary, the poll showed. For the bulk of them, the reason came down to getting the answer more quickly or because they wanted more information about their health care. More than half also said they wanted to do research either before or after going to the doctor.

Gallup noted that nearly half of people (46%) said the AI tool or chatbot made them feel more confident when asking questions or talking to a medical professional. Additionally, nearly a quarter (22%) believed that AI helped them identify a concern sooner, while 19% felt they were able to skip a medical test after consulting AI.

Skipping the Doctor’s Office

Fourteen percent of the people who were polled claimed they skipped a trip to the doctor’s office because of information AI gave them. Gallup noted that translated to an estimated 14 million people who forwent a visit with a medical professional because of AI advice or information.

Some of that may trace back to the reasons given for turning to AI for health information. Over 40% of people who used AI in the preceding 30 days claimed they did not want to pay or were unable to pay for a doctor’s visit. Others said they needed help outside business hours or did not have time to make an appointment, while 21% stated they felt like they had been dismissed or ignored by a provider in the past. 

RELATED: FBI report adds AI-enabled scams for the first time, $893 million reported stolen

By the numbers:

The number one question that people who have consulted AI in the past 30 days had was about nutrition and exercise (59%), Gallup found. Coming in a close second (58%) were those investigating physical symptoms they were experiencing. Many of the rest of the reasons included checking on side effects of medication or to interpret the medical information they received. 

RELATED: Starbucks, ChatGPT want AI to help pick your next drink

Why you should care:

Artificial intelligence as a daily part of people’s lives is still a very new phenomenon. Gallup researchers point out that using the tools to clarify questions and review information may prove productive. On the other hand, they also caution that letting AI serve as a replacement for some health care needs, especially as the capabilities of the products grow, is yet to be determined.

What they’re saying:

“As Americans utilize AI-generated health information or advice, including in contexts where questions about accuracy and appropriate use may arise, health care systems will need to adapt to how these tools are being incorporated into the health care journey,” the report concluded.

The Source: Information for this article was taken from Gallup. This story was reported from Orlando.

HealthHealth CareTechnologyArtificial IntelligenceNews