Doctors and Computers: What Does It Mean for You?

1. Will I still get to see a real doctor, or will I be treated by a computer?

You will still see a real doctor. Right now, computers act like helpers. They are not replacements. Computers are used to "triage" or sort patients (1). This means the computer asks you questions to figure out how sick you are. If you are very sick, it tells a real doctor to see you right away. If you have a small problem, it might tell you what to do at home. The computer helps you get to the right human doctor faster (2).

2. Will the doctor spend the whole visit looking at the AI screen instead of me?

Actually, the computer might help the doctor look at you more. In the past, doctors had to type on a computer during your visit. Now, new "listening" computers can hear the conversation and write the notes for the doctor. A study at Kaiser Permanente showed that these tools saved doctors huge amounts of time (3). Because the computer does the typing, the doctor can look you in the eye and listen (4).

3. Can an AI understand the emotional pain I am experiencing?

No, a computer cannot feel feelings. It does not have a heart or a brain like a human. It cannot truly "understand" your pain (5). However, it can be taught to be polite and kind. It can use words that make you feel heard, even if it doesn't have real emotions (6).

4. Does the AI account for my cultural background and beliefs?

Ideally, yes. Old computers sometimes made mistakes because they only learned from one group of people. But new AI is getting better. For example, one big study looked at knee pain. Human doctors often ignored the pain of some patients. The AI looked at the X-rays and found real reasons for the pain that the doctors had missed (7). This shows that good AI can sometimes be fairer than humans.

5. Will AI reduce the length of my appointment time?

It might, but that could be a good thing. If you use an app to answer questions before your visit, the doctor already knows your story. This means you don't have to spend your visit answering basic questions. Instead, you can spend that time talking about how to get better (3).

6. If I tell the AI something private, is it judging me?

No. A computer does not judge. It does not think things are "good" or "bad." It just looks at facts. Because of this, studies show that people are often more honest with a computer. They feel safer telling a computer about private secrets than telling a person (8).

7. Can a robot provide comfort when delivering bad news?

Most people want a human to tell them bad news. A robot cannot hold your hand or give you a tissue (9). However, some studies show that a few people actually prefer to get bad news from a computer first. This lets them be sad in private without worrying about what the doctor thinks (10). But mostly, doctors agree that humans should handle the big news.

8. Will my doctor lose their skills because they rely too much on the AI?

This is a real worry. If the computer is always right, the doctor might stop trying as hard. One study showed that doctors did get a little worse at finding problems when they relied too much on a computer helper (2). The best way is for them to work together. The computer finds the pattern, and the doctor makes the final choice.

9. Is the empathy shown by a chatbot real, or is it just programmed language?

It is programmed language, but it can still feel nice. In one experiment, patients asked questions to both doctors and chatbots. The patients actually liked the chatbot's answers better! They said the chatbot sounded more empathetic and kind than the busy doctors (6). The feelings aren't "real," but the kindness can still help.

10. Will I be forced to use a chatbot before I can speak to a human?

Sometimes, yes. Many health plans now use "Virtual First" rules. This means you have to talk to a computer or a video doctor before you can see someone in person (11). This helps save time for the doctors so they can help the people who need it most.

The Good News: Apps Are Getting Smarter

We want to provide you with the best information. It is important to know that high-quality medical apps are now very powerful. Recent studies show that top AI tools can find skin cancer and eye diseases just as well as—or sometimes better than—specialist doctors (12, 13). Using an app like this can give you a great "second opinion" and help catch problems early.