AI is increasingly helping doctors not only in technical tasks but also in communicating with patients empathetically. AI chatbots are proving to be useful in offering quality responses and showcasing empathy superior to human doctors in some cases.

AI in Human Aspects of Medical Care:

• AI tools like ChatGPT are being used to communicate with patients more empathetically.
• For instance, in an encounter with a patient’s family, ER physician Dr. Josh Tamayo-Sarver used ChatGPT-4 to explain a complex medical situation in simpler, more compassionate terms.
• The tool generated a thoughtful, empathetic response, which helped comfort the patient’s family and save the doctor’s time.

AI in Providing Compassionate Counsel:

• Dr. Gregory Moore used ChatGPT to counsel a friend with advanced cancer, including breaking bad news and dealing with her emotional struggles.
• Rheumatologist Dr. Richard Stern uses ChatGPT in his clinical practice to write kind responses to patient emails, provide compassionate replies to patient queries, and manage paperwork.

Reasons Behind the Success of AI in Displaying Empathy:

• AI tools, unlike humans, are not affected by work stress, insufficient coaching, or the need to maintain work-life balance.
• AI tools like ChatGPT have proven effective in generating text responses that make patients feel they are receiving empathy and compassion.

Source (Forbes)

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