(0104) Empowering Patient Inquiry With ChatGPT

Introduction: Fruitful communication between patients and otolaryngologists is crucial for achieving optimal healthcare outcomes. ChatGPT, a user-friendly AI tool, shows promise in enhancing this communication, potentially improving patient experiences and outcomes. We hypothesized that ChatGPT could empower patients by helping them generate tailored questions for their otolaryngology visits, reducing anxiety, and increasing health literacy and autonomy in managing their health, especially for those facing language barriers.

Methods: We analyzed ChatGPT's interface and capabilities in generating customized patient queries based on individual symptoms, medical histories, and personal values. Its multilingual support was also considered for addressing language and cultural disparities in healthcare.

Results: ChatGPT may enhance patient autonomy and health literacy by generating specific questions for otolaryngological conditions. It could lead to better healthcare outcomes and more satisfactory patient experiences. Additionally, ChatGPT may help non-English-speaking patients overcome language barriers, thus reducing healthcare disparities. However, limitations include ChatGPT's reliance on its training data for medical knowledge, which may not always be current or accurate, and its lack of adherence to patient health information privacy standards.

Conclusions: ChatGPT presents as a promising tool in otolaryngology, enhancing patient empowerment and assisting in overcoming language barriers. Nevertheless, it should be seen as a complementary, not substitutive, element in medical consultation. Just as patients would cautiously use a search engine like Google for health queries, they should similarly handle chatbots, sharing only what they'd comfortably input into a search bar. Future research should aim to quantify these benefits, explore additional applications of AI in patient assistance, and develop educational resources for effective use of AI tools in healthcare.