Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

My Mom and Dr. DeepSeek (2025)

restofworld.org

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 160 posts

Re: My Mom and Dr. DeepSeek (2025)

#21

Post by ZhadruOmjar »

reenorap wrote: post #18

I and many of my friends have used ChatGPT extremely effectively to diagnose medical issues. In fact, I would say that ChatGPT is better than most doctors because most doctors don't actually listen to you. ChatGPT took the time to ask me questions and based on my answers, narrowed down a particularly scary diagnosis and gave excellent instructions on how to get to a local hospital in a foreign country, what to ask fo…

ChatGPT for health questions is the best use case I have found (Claude wins for code). Having a scratch pad where I can ask about any symptom I might feel, using project memory to cross reference things and having someone actually listen is very helpful. I asked about Crohn's disease since my grandfather suffered from it and I got a few tests I could do, stats on likelihood based on genetics, diet ideas to try and questions to ask the doctor. Much better than the current doc experience which is get the quickest review of my bloods, told to exercise and eat healthy and a see you in six months.

Re: My Mom and Dr. DeepSeek (2025)

#22

Post by delichon »

I prepared for a new patient appointment with a medical specialist last week by role playing the conversation with a chatbot. The bot turned out to be much more responsive, inquisitive and helpful. The doctor was passive, making no suggestions, just answering questions. I had to prompt him explicitly to get to therapy recommendations, unlike the AI. I was glad that I had learned enough from the bot to ask useful questions. It would have been redundant if the doctor was active and interested, but that can't be depended on. This is standard procedure for me now.

Re: My Mom and Dr. DeepSeek (2025)

#23

Post by wvbdmp »

Joel_Mckay wrote: post #9
snitzr wrote: post #5

A sick family member told me something along the lines of, "I know how to work with AI to get the answer." I interpret that to mean he asks it questions until it tells him what he wants to hear.

Indeed, real doctors have the advantage of understanding how to treat humans that are incapacitated. =3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yftBiNu0ZNU

Just seeing that guy’s face and hearing his voice makes me uneasy. That channel is total body-horror. Glad that guy ended up okay, unlike this poor soul:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=NJ7M01jV058

Re: My Mom and Dr. DeepSeek (2025)

#24

Post by jamespo »

reenorap wrote: post #18

I and many of my friends have used ChatGPT extremely effectively to diagnose medical issues. In fact, I would say that ChatGPT is better than most doctors because most doctors don't actually listen to you. ChatGPT took the time to ask me questions and based on my answers, narrowed down a particularly scary diagnosis and gave excellent instructions on how to get to a local hospital in a foreign country, what to ask fo…

[flagged]

Re: My Mom and Dr. DeepSeek (2025)

#25

Post by cube00 »

guywithahat wrote: post #11

> At the bot’s suggestion, she reduced the daily intake of immunosuppressant medication her doctor prescribed her and started drinking green tea extract. She was enthusiastic about the chatbot I don't know enough about medicine to say whether or not this is correct, but it sounds suspect. I wouldn't be surprised if chatbots, in an effort to make people happy, start recommending more and more nonsense natural remedies…

As soon as the model detects user pleasure at not needing a scary surgery (especially if you already confided that you're scared) then it'll double down on that line to please the user.

Re: My Mom and Dr. DeepSeek (2025)

#26

Post by cal_dent »

reenorap wrote: post #18

I and many of my friends have used ChatGPT extremely effectively to diagnose medical issues. In fact, I would say that ChatGPT is better than most doctors because most doctors don't actually listen to you. ChatGPT took the time to ask me questions and based on my answers, narrowed down a particularly scary diagnosis and gave excellent instructions on how to get to a local hospital in a foreign country, what to ask fo…

I’ve heard many people say the same (specifically about ppl being better than doctors because they listen) and I find it odd and wonder if this is a specific country thing?

I’ve been lucky enough to not need much beyond relative minor medical help but in the places I’ve lived always found that when I do see a GP they’re generally helpful.

There’s also something here about medical stuff making people feel vulnerable as a default so feeling heard can overcompensate the relationship? Not sure I’m articulating this last point well but it comes up so frequent (it listened, guided me through it step by step etc.) that I wonder if that has an effect. Feeling more in control than a doctor who has other patients and time constraint just say it’s x or do this

Re: My Mom and Dr. DeepSeek (2025)

#27

Post by heisenbit »

For major medical issues it may well be best practice to use the four eyes principle like we do for all safety related systems. Access is key and at this time getting a second pair of eyes in close timely proximity is a luxury few have and even fewer will have looking at the demographics in the developed world. Human doctors are failable as is AI. For the time being having a multitude of perspectives may well be the best in most cases.

Re: My Mom and Dr. DeepSeek (2025)

#28

Post by avree »

reenorap wrote: post #18

I and many of my friends have used ChatGPT extremely effectively to diagnose medical issues. In fact, I would say that ChatGPT is better than most doctors because most doctors don't actually listen to you. ChatGPT took the time to ask me questions and based on my answers, narrowed down a particularly scary diagnosis and gave excellent instructions on how to get to a local hospital in a foreign country, what to ask fo…

No, no, no. You can change your doctor, and get one that listens to you - you can't change the fact that ChatGPT has no skin in the game - no reputation, no hippocratic oath, no fiscal/legal responsibility. Some people have had miracles with Facebook groups, or WebMD, but that doesn't change where the role of a doctor is or mean that you should be using those things for medical advice as opposed to something that allows you to have an informed conversation with a doctor.

Re: My Mom and Dr. DeepSeek (2025)

#29

Post by HPsquared »

kingstnap wrote: post #12

> she said she was aware that DeepSeek had given her contradictory advice. She understood that chatbots were trained on data from across the internet, she told me, and did not represent an absolute truth or superhuman authority With highly lucid people like the author's mom I'm not too worried about Dr. Deepseek. I'm actually incredibly bullish on the fact that AI models are, as the article describes, superhumanly em…

If the computer is the bicycle of the mind, GenAI is a motor vehicle. Very powerful and transformative, but it's also possible to get into trouble.
Post reply on HN