ChatGPT: promise and challenges for deployment in low- and middle-income countries

Xiaofei Wang; Hayley M. Sanders; Yuchen Liu; Kennarey Seang; Bach Xuan Tran; Atanas G. Atanasov; Yue Qiu; Shenglan Tang; Josip Car; Ya Xing Wang; Tien Yin Wong; Yih-Chung Tham; Kevin C. Chung

The Lancet Regional Health. Western Pacific (Dec 2023)

ChatGPT: promise and challenges for deployment in low- and middle-income countries

Xiaofei Wang,
Hayley M. Sanders,
Yuchen Liu,
Kennarey Seang,
Bach Xuan Tran,
Atanas G. Atanasov,
Yue Qiu,
Shenglan Tang,
Josip Car,
Ya Xing Wang,
Tien Yin Wong,
Yih-Chung Tham,
Kevin C. Chung

Affiliations

Xiaofei Wang: Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China
Hayley M. Sanders: Section of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Yuchen Liu: Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China
Kennarey Seang: Grant Management Office, University of Health Sciences, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Bach Xuan Tran: Department of Health Economics, Institute for Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam; Institute of Health Economics and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam
Atanas G. Atanasov: Ludwig Boltzmann Institute Digital Health and Patient Safety, Medical University of Vienna, Spitalgasse 23, 1090, Vienna, Austria; Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Jastrzebiec, 05-552, Magdalenka, Poland
Yue Qiu: Institute for Hospital Management, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
Shenglan Tang: Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
Josip Car: Centre for Population Health Sciences, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University Singapore, Singapore; Department of Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
Ya Xing Wang: Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Ophthalmology and Visual Science Key Lab, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
Tien Yin Wong: Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore; Tsinghua Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China; School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, Beijing, China
Yih-Chung Tham: Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore; Centre for Innovation and Precision Eye Health, Department of Ophthalmology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Ophthalmology and Visual Science Academic Clinical Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore; Corresponding author. Department of Ophthalmology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Kevin C. Chung: Section of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Corresponding author. Section of Plastic Surgery, The University of Michigan Health System, 1500 E. Medical Center Drive, 2130 Taubman Center, SPC 5340, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-5340, USA.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 41
p. 100905

Abstract

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Summary: In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), the fields of medicine and public health grapple with numerous challenges that continue to hinder patients' access to healthcare services. ChatGPT, a publicly accessible chatbot, has emerged as a potential tool in aiding public health efforts in LMICs. This viewpoint details the potential benefits of employing ChatGPT in LMICs to improve medicine and public health encompassing a broad spectrum of domains ranging from health literacy, screening, triaging, remote healthcare support, mental health support, multilingual capabilities, healthcare communication and documentation, medical training and education, and support for healthcare professionals. Additionally, we also share potential concerns and limitations associated with the use of ChatGPT and provide a balanced discussion on the opportunities and challenges of using ChatGPT in LMICs.

Published in The Lancet Regional Health. Western Pacific

ISSN: 2666-6065 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Medicine: Public aspects of medicine
Website: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanwpc/home

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