Artificial intelligence in the prescription of acute medical treatments in primary healthcare – comparison of the performance of family physicians and ChatGPT
This study suggests that AI - specifically ChatGPT v3.5 - can match or even outperform physicians in terms of therapeutic decision accuracy, with a similar or slightly better success rate than human doctors. This highlights the potential for AI to act as an effective auxiliary tool rather than a replacement for healthcare professionals. AI is most effective when used in collaboration with healthcare professionals, augmenting their capabilities and improving overall healthcare delivery. Ultimately, AI can serve as a powerful aid to healthcare professionals, helping improve patient care and healthcare outcomes, particularly in primary care.
Authors
- Carolina Moura Pereira (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3636-0414)
- Carlos Seiça Cardoso (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9214-6995)
- Maria Clara Almeida Jácome (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8957-1990)
- Ferreira Laura
- José Paiva
- Carlos Galvão Braga (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-1180-9889)
- Catarina Oliveira (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9367-7533)
- Bárbara Lemos Pereira Simão
Institutions
- Administração Regional de Saúde de Lisboa e Vale do Tejo (PT)
- University of Coimbra (PT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- BMC Primary Care
- Published
- 2025-09-22
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-025-02963-2
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare and Education
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.65
Funders
- Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia