Prepare an interview guide for every big doctor's appointment
After a breast cancer diagnosis, Dorlisa K. Flur used ChatGPT to put her scan and pathology reports into plain English and to build question lists before each specialist visit. She writes that it once helped her raise a medication-interaction concern her doctor had missed, but also that it invented treatment centers that didn't exist.
What they did
She asked ChatGPT to act as a patient guide, pasted in test results with personal identifiers removed, and used it to learn the terms, map out likely treatment steps, weigh side effects against her priorities, and turn all of it into interview guides for her doctors.
How it went
She says it made her a participant rather than just a patient in appointments, and her treatment ended well. She also found it had outdated knowledge of clinical trials and sometimes left out important details.
Worth knowing
Her story shows both sides: real help preparing, and occasional made-up facts. Verify anything specific (clinics, trials, drug interactions) with your care team. AI doesn't replace an exam or your doctor's judgment.
Try it yourself
Copy this into ChatGPT (or any AI assistant). Replace the parts in [brackets] with your own details.
I have an appointment with my [type of doctor] about [condition] on [date]. Here's what I know so far, with identifiers removed: [paste results or notes]. Explain the key terms in plain English. Then help me build an interview guide: my top concerns, questions about each treatment option and its side effects, and questions about timing (I have [life events, e.g., a family trip in March]). Clearly mark anything I should confirm with the doctor.
Source: Dorlisa K. Flur, Dorlisa K. Flur's blog, May 1, 2025. Read the original →
First-hand account by the person who did it. Summarized in our own words. Spotted a mistake or want this removed? Tell us.