Medicines are crucial for medical care, but errors in prescription by doctors and incorrect usage by patients are common issues.
The University of Oxford has developed a new AI tool, DrugGPT, to tackle these issues. It offers clinicians a safety net for prescribing drugs and educates patients on the importance of medication adherence.
Healthcare professionals can input a patient’s condition into DrugGPT to receive a second opinion, along with recommended drugs, possible side effects, and drug interactions.
Professor David Clifton from Oxford University’s AI for Healthcare lab emphasizes the tool’s ability to provide explanations for drug recommendations, citing studies, flowcharts, and references.
While some doctors use AI chatbots for diagnoses, DrugGPT has shown effectiveness comparable to human experts in medical exams.
Studies estimate millions of medication errors in the UK each year, emphasizing the need for tools like DrugGPT to improve prescribing practices and patient adherence.
Technology like ScriptSwitch is already assisting general practices in choosing cost-effective medication options.
Dr. Lucy Mackillop, an advisor to the AI for Healthcare team, highlights DrugGPT’s potential to enhance doctor-patient discussions and improve medication compliance.
Dr. Michael Mulholland of the Royal College of General Practitioners acknowledges human errors in prescriptions, especially in high-pressure environments, urging the integration of advanced safety measures.
He emphasizes the importance of adequate funding and workforce levels in general practices to ensure safe patient care in the long term.
Source: www.theguardian.com
