ChatGPT as second opinion? AI is changing how patients look at their medical data, doctors little wary

India Today

29-04-2025

When Adrian Pauly, a desk-bound software engineer battling chronic lower back pain for over a decade, decided he needed a second opinion, he didn't head to a new specialist. Instead, he turned to a chatbot. Using ChatGPT's Deep Research feature, Adrian uploaded years' worth of injury history, therapy notes, exercise logs, and personal observations. The AI promptly returned not just a detailed breakdown of his condition, but a dynamic, personalised plan that adapted to his daily needs – something no human doctor had ever offered.advertisement'It's like the fog lifted,' Adrian told India Today Tech. 'I finally understand what's happening in my body, and why certain exercises work. Before this, I honestly wasn't sure if it was fixable. Now, I know it's a solvable problem.'Adrian's story isn't an anomaly. Across Reddit forums, Facebook groups, and X, a growing number of people are sharing about turning to AI tools like ChatGPT's Deep Research for medical insights. We also came across Pauly's post on Reddit. Many users now feel that traditional healthcare leaves them wanting. Some say the chatbots have provided clearer explanations, more personalised recommendations, and in certain cases, even more accurate diagnoses than the doctors they visited.
Adrian Pauly's post on Reddit
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A user on Reddit claims ChatGPT was able to diagnose an issue that doctors couldn't for years
This phenomenon raises a key question: Are AI tools like ChatGPT quietly becoming the new "second opinion"?From Google to ChatGPT: The evolution of DIY diagnosisDoctors have long struggled with patients self-diagnosing with the help of "Dr Google," often arriving at clinics convinced they have rare and catastrophic diseases. But ChatGPT's Deep Research feature, which lets users upload context-rich documents and asks nuanced follow-up questions, has changed the game.Dr Ishwar Gilada, an infectious diseases specialist who has worked extensively with patients dealing with HIV, STDs, and related phobias, says he's seen this evolution firsthand."For the last four or five years, patients have been coming in armed with information from Google — sometimes with distracted or inaccurate knowledge," he said. "Now, with ChatGPT, the information patients bring in is more organised. It channels their thought process better than Google ever did, though it's still not always completely logical or correct."While ChatGPT represents an upgrade in how information is gathered and synthesised, Dr Gilada cautions that it's not a replacement for human expertise. "ChatGPT can guide you, help you gauge if something is serious, and even suggest specialists. But it cannot replace a doctor's judgement, experience, or the irreplaceable human touch of counselling,' he said.
The Doctor's dilemmaThe rise of AI-driven health research is forcing many in the medical community to rethink their role."When patients come with ChatGPT-generated information, doctors should first verify the sources," Dr Gilada advised. "If references are credible – say, from peer-reviewed journals – then it's worth considering. That's a big improvement over Google, where you often don't know how authentic the information is."
More and more doctors are now talking about the role of AI in healthcare
"AI is outperforming doctors"
Yet the challenge isn't just fact-checking. Dr Gilada warns that over-reliance on AI could exacerbate a broader societal shift where human contact is minimised. "Today's generation is glued to screens. Without human conversation – with doctors, friends, family – it's easy to start believing you have a disease you don't even have."advertisementStill, Dr Gilada is optimistic that AI can have a meaningful role in healthcare – provided doctors themselves stay informed. "Doctors must improvise and stay updated. If a patient finds a new treatment on ChatGPT that you haven't heard of, and you dismiss them out of ignorance, you lose their trust," he said. "We have to play with these tools ourselves and feed them better information."
Patients are building their own medical roadmapsFor users like Adrian Pauly, Deep Research has offered something more than a better Google search — it has given them agency.Frustrated with years of symptom-chasing through traditional physical therapy, Adrian used Deep Research to map out the connections between tight hip flexors, weak glutes, and stress on his sacroiliac (SI) joint — knowledge that traditional medical visits never quite connected.'It felt like my physical therapists were just throwing random exercises at the wall," he said. "ChatGPT helped me understand the biomechanics – why specific muscles were underperforming and how that created a chain reaction. No one had ever explained it that clearly.'advertisementAdrian was quick to stress that AI isn't a substitute for medical care. "Use it as a tool, not a replacement," he said. "But if you're curious and want to really understand your body, it's incredibly useful."The flexibility was also a game-changer. Adrian described how ChatGPT adapted his exercise routines in real-time based on flare-ups, gym schedules, or running days — a level of personalisation he never found in short doctor consultations.
Meanwhile, some doctors have also raised concerns about "overglorifying ChatGPT"
The fine printWhile AI tools can help patients feel more empowered, they also risk leading users down dangerous paths if used recklessly.ChatGPT, for instance, while structured and articulate, can still occasionally deliver inaccurate or incomplete information. Dr Gilada shared an example where ChatGPT mistakenly suggested that Human Papillomavirus (HPV) could only be sexually transmitted – omitting the fact that it can also spread non-sexually to children and even pets.advertisement'If I just blindly used ChatGPT to make a medical brochure, it would have misinformed people,' he noted. "AI can give a good working draft, but it always needs expert verification."In short: ChatGPT can galvanise your health journey, but it can't finish it for you.Essentially, rather than seeing AI as competition, experts like Dr Gilada believe the medical community should engage with these tools – refining them, correcting them, and using them as bridges to better patient care. "There will always be a gap between what AI knows and what a doctor knows from experience," he said. "But if doctors and AI can work together, we can help patients feel more informed without losing the human connection."As for Adrian Pauly, he's simply grateful that something finally clicked. 'Deep Research gave me what I was missing: real understanding. It didn't replace my doctors – it made me a better patient.'