Frustrated by the medical system, some patients are turning to chatbots for help. At what cost? Wendy Goldberg thought her question was straightforward enough.
A 79-year-old retired lawyer in Los Angeles, Ms. Goldberg wanted to eat more protein, something she had read could help rebuild bone density. She hoped her primary care provider could tell her exactly how much was enough.
She dashed off a message, but the response left her feeling that the doctor hadn’t read her question, or even her chart. The doctor offered generic advice: Stop smoking (she doesn’t smoke), avoid alcohol (she doesn’t drink), exercise regularly (she works out three times a week). Most infuriatingly, she was advised to eat “adequate protein to support bone health,” no specifics included.
Frustrated, Ms. Goldberg posed the same question to ChatGPT. Within seconds, it produced a daily protein goal in grams.
She shot back one last message to her doctor: “I can get more information from ChatGPT than I can from you.”