According to a recent Gallup poll, nearly one-third of Americans are using generative AI tools on a regular basis like Chat GPT, Microsoft\u2019s Copilot and Google\u2019s Gemini\ufeff.\ufeff<\/p>\n
\ufeff\ufeffA self-proclaimed technology enthusiast, Jennifer Erickson, 56, of Maple Grove, Minnesota, relies on AI to navigate the maze of medical decisions for her husband, Carl, a cancer survivor who is disabled. During each doctor\u2019s appointment, Erickson takes meticulous notes, spanning test results, procedures, and follow-up instructions. Once home, she dictates the notes into ChatGPT to organize and synthesize the information. \u201cI\u2019ll ask it to separate the pros and cons of each treatment option,\u201d she explains, \u201cor to summarize the next steps and who\u2019s responsible for what.\u201d The result is a clear, structured summary she can review and share, transforming what used to be hours of mental sorting into a few streamlined minutes. \u201cWe might meet with nine different health care professionals over a few days at the Mayo Clinic,\u201d she says. \u201cAI helps me see what they all said, where they agree, and where there are differences.\u201d\ufeff<\/p>\n
Roseman has turned to Gemini as a time-saver and problem-solving tool. \u201cAt 9:30 at night, when I finally have a minute to think, I can ask Gemini a question and get a clear, helpful answer without sifting through ads or endless links,\u201d she explains.\u200b<\/p>\n
\u201cThis can be especially valuable in crisis situations, when someone suddenly becomes a caregiver after a medical event or diagnosis and needs to \u2018onboard\u2019 themselves quickly without prior experience, \u201d says Etkin. \u201cInstead of scrolling through dozens of articles and forums, these tools can summarize the most important points, explain next steps, suggest questions you might want to ask the medical team and point you toward credible resources in a fraction of the time.\u201d\ufeff\ufeff<\/p>\n
Experts like Etkin, Miller, and Wang see several ways that generative AI, which creates new content such as text, video, images, based on the data it has learned from, will assist caregivers in their daily lives, including:\u200b<\/p>\n
Administrative assistant. AI can synthesize notetaking and organize by themes, action items and suggest next steps \ufeffappointment scheduling\ufeff \ufeffand documentation, easing ongoing burdens among caregivers. For instance, v\ufeffoice-activated AI scribes like Fathom, Otter.AI, and Rev can automatically record observations for health care teams or take notes during doctors\u2019 visits. In most states, you can legally record a conversation with your doctor if you\u2019re part of it, but in about a dozen \u201ctwo-party consent\u201d states, including California, Florida, and Illinois, you must get everyone\u2019s permission beforehand.\ufeff<\/p>\n
AI tools like Clara can help streamline meeting scheduling. It works by cc’ing Clara on an email thread when an appointment needs to be arranged. Clara takes over the conversation with the doctor’s office or whoever the appointment is with by confirming availability and setting the appointment time, as long as your online calendar is fully up to date.<\/p>\n
Communication with health care team. AI tools like ChatGPT, Copilot, and Gemini can synthesize health data, interpret trends and provide tailored recommendations for discussion with doctors and health care teams. \u201cAI-generated information should never replace medical advice or a doctor\u2019s recommendations,\u201d reminds Wang.\u200b<\/p>\n