ChatGPT now helping doctors amid shortage in Nevada

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - It is the technology that’s being used by numerous industries. We have talked to local students, marketing experts, and even attorneys who are all using ChatGPT. Now doctors can be added to that list.

According to the Nevada Hospital Association, Nevada needs to add 1,585 doctors to the workforce to keep up with the national average.

Nevada ranks 49th per capita for primary care physicians and 50th per capita for surgeons and psychiatrists.

Local healthcare officials gave insight into how ChatGPT is helping with the doctor shortage in Nevada.

“One of the things that we have a lot of trouble within healthcare overall is time with patients because there is so little of us, there are so few healthcare providers that care for so many people, “said the medical director of telemedicine at UMC Luis Medina-Garcia.

Doctor Luis Medina-Garcia at UMC said the artificial intelligence tool, ChatGPT can help doctors in doing things like generating patients’ records and writing reports.

“So, the promise of AI is to help the clinician, the physician, the PA, or the nurse practitioner have all that information packaged up nicely so that we can make the best decision for the patient,” said Medina-Garcia.

He said there are some limitations.

“ChatGPT is like a toy that is out there in beta for people to test and be amazed by but it has to be formalized for that specific use,” said Medina-Garcia. “It has to be validated for that specific use to be sure it doesn’t make mistakes.”

Therefore, Medina-Garcia said patients should not use ChatGPT for healthcare advice.

“It is not quite ready for people to access it,” said Medina-Garcia. “Always consult with your physician. We have your best interest in mind.”

Medina-Garcia said the tool will also not be replacing doctors any time soon.

“The white coat is the coat of responsibility,” said Medina-Garcia. “We bear that burden for the patient and technology does not do the same.”

Medina said in the future, the technology can be used to make preliminary recommendations to doctors and help them achieve scale so they can do things much quicker and more efficiently, essentially helping to make fewer mistakes.

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