BANGOR, Maine (WABI) – Artificial intelligence is transforming healthcare across the country, both in positive and negative ways.
The American Association of Nurse Practitioners says patients who use AI are encountering a lot of misinformation.
Dr. Valerie Fuller, AANP president and a Farmington native, said she has seen changes with AI firsthand.
Fuller said she has seen chatbots give false diagnoses, and in one case, make up an organ that doesn’t exist.
She said the responsible way to interact with AI is to use it as a starting point then verify any information with your healthcare provider.
“For example, if you’ve spoken to your provider and they say you have hypothyroidism, a low thyroid, AI can actually, you know, give you some good information,” Fuller said. “But, I do think it’s important that if you don’t understand that information and to review that information with your nurse practitioner, because again, it isn’t always accurate, even though it can sound accurate.”
Fuller said nurse practitioners are especially capable at helping patients navigate AI.
“Nurse practitioners are, I think, really the experts in terms of patient education. And really it’s an enormous part of our education as nurses to be educators. I don’t know a nurse that isn’t an educator. It’s who the patient turns to for education,” Fuller said. “We typically get a little bit more time with patients, but also we spend a lot of time explaining conditions, making sure the patient understands those conditions and what are the treatments that they can do going forward. So, if people are interested in seeing an NP, I think that it’s really incredibly valuable when you have questions like this, because the NP can spend some time going over it with you.”
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