No Appointment Necessary: Dr. AI Will See You Soon

Right now, seeing an AI health advice service only appeals to 10 percent of our 2023 Multicultural Consumer survey population. The figure is higher for those under the age of 35, as they are often early adopters and often set the pace for broader technology proliferation in culture.

Insights for What’s Ahead

For AI-based health information companies the challenge ahead will involve building trust with consumers through verifiable, fact-based advice that human professionals can agree with and transparency for when a human doctor would provide a better answer for the patient.

And this is not just technology for enthusiasts. Last month, physicians at three different health care systems across the US began testing a generative AI tool based on a HIPAA-compliant version of ChatGPT that automatically drafts responses to patients' queries about their symptoms, medications, and other medical issues. Doctors have the option to edit or rewrite those responses, but initial tests show patients and physicians find the systems to be helpful.

AI will also be helpful in establishing links to diverse communities and populations through its language skills. And it can do that while bringing digital efficiency to the retail end of healthcare. Keep an eye on this space.

One additional challenge these AI companies will have to address: The rise of a health anxiety known as “cyberchondria.” This condition is fueled by patients looking up symptoms online and self-diagnosing, often with increased stress and heightened anxiety as a result. It is quite possible that healthcare AI can be trained to help calm patients with rationality, and not stoke their anxieties. Certainly, human doctors can push back against patients’ self-diagnoses. 

Read More: Dr. Video Will See You Now: Health Care in the Postpandemic Era