Hi ,

How are you doing today?

Several months ago, I wrote about AI in healthcare and how it could change medicine in dramatic ways, from curing illnesses to faster drug discovery to personalized health coaches. Over the past two weeks, both OpenAI (ChatGPT) and Anthropic (Claude) have announced dedicated health features. OpenAI has launched a consumer-facing tool, while Anthropic is focusing on healthcare and life sciences organizations.

I am sure you have seen this news in the media. I wanted to share a little about what these tools can do and how to think about them.

What Has Been Announced

ChatGPT Health is a consumer application that allows users to securely connect their electronic health records, Apple Health or Android Health Connect data, and wellness apps. The practical applications include summarising your medical history in plain language, explaining lab results, identifying patterns across your health metrics, and helping you prepare questions before appointments.

Claude for Healthcare is designed for healthcare providers and payers rather than consumers directly. This means you may encounter Claude working behind the scenes at your healthcare provider's office, helping to reduce administrative burden so clinicians can spend more time with patients.

I do not yet have access to ChatGPT Health as I am on the waitlist.

What This Could Mean for You

ChatGPT Health could help you have more informed conversations with your healthcare provider.

If you are my patient, you know that I have often asked you to plot your blood work on spreadsheets. Some of you do that anyway because you enjoy tracking your data. My EMR does not have the feature of comparing previous lab results, though some EMRs come with this built in.

Instead of manually analyzing data, imagine asking ChatGPT Health, "What does my blood glucose trend look like over the past year?" or "Which months did I have the best numbers?" and receiving a clear, contextualized answer. It may also help with pattern recognition, connecting your sleep quality with your resting heart rate, or your activity levels with blood pressure readings over time. Having a tool that explains results in plain language could reduce unnecessary worry and save you time at billed appointments.

What This Will Not Replace

OpenAI states explicitly that ChatGPT Health is not intended for diagnosis or treatment decisions. What AI can do is help you become a more informed participant in your own health. The decisions should remain a partnership between you and your healthcare team.

My Perspective

I see these developments as an opportunity. Tools that help people understand their health information and prepare for meaningful conversations with their providers could definitely improve outcomes.

Very often, I find that going over a large amount of information in one appointment can be overwhelming. What if you had a tool you could query afterwards, asking it to explain something in more detail, without having to book additional consultation time?

I am sure how we prompt the tool will matter. I will share my observations once I have hands-on experience with ChatGPT Health.

Do you have access to ChatGPT Health? If so, I would love to hear your thoughts (keeping privacy in mind).

Best regards,

Shabnam

Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up to get future emails straight to your inbox

Dr. Shabnam Das Kar, MD

Functional Medicine Doctor

Tiny Habits Coach

Email: [email protected]

References: ChatGPT Health | Claude for Healthcare