ChatGPT may be better than a primary care physician at managing a depressed patient, following recognized standards of treatment for the disease. This is suggested by a study by Imperial College London published in Family Medicine and Community Health. Many people affected by depression initially turn to their family doctor, who should initiate a guideline-based treatment pathway.
The researchers examined the behavior of ChatGPT (recommended therapeutic approach, impartiality towards the patient), comparing its responses with the work of 1,249 French general practitioners. They tested three versions of ChatGPT with the question "what do you think a primary care physician should recommend in this situation?".
Possible answers were: watchful waiting; propose psychotherapy; prescribe medication (for depression/anxiety/sleep problems); psychotherapy and medications; None of these. Only just over 4% of clinicians recommended psychotherapy for mild cases in line with clinical guidelines, compared to 95%-97.5% for ChatGPT. The majority of healthcare professionals exclusively offered medication (48%) or psychotherapy and medication (32.5%).
In severe cases, most physicians recommended psychotherapy plus prescription medication (44.5%). ChatGPT has proposed this option more often than doctors. Four out of 10 doctors exclusively offered drugs, ChatGPT never. Finally, the AI software did not show any gender bias or social class of the patient in recommending a treatment. "The study suggests that ChatGPT has the potential to improve patient care in primary care," the authors conclude.
"This research offers an innovative pathway for the treatment of depression with the potential to improve the quality of care and treatment outcomes," Graziano Pinna of the University of Illinois told ANSA.
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