World Osteoporosis Day, marked on October 20th each year, is a prime time to put the spotlight on osteoporosis. Under the banner of ‘Say no to fragile bones’, this year’s World Osteoporosis Day campaign endeavoured to put an end to the inertia surrounding bone health.
More than 135 events were reported by members of International Osteoporosis Foundations’s Committee of National Societies in all regions of the world – an important collective global effort to raise osteoporosis awareness this World Osteoporosis Day.
Can artificial intelligence (AI) be an ally in this endeavor?
In an effort to address the question of whether AI models can be helpful in consolidating knowledge regarding osteoporosis diagnosis, and fracture prevention and treatment, Ghanem and colleagues designed a study to evaluate the accuracy of ChatGPT in delivering evidence-based information related to osteoporosis. Twenty of the most common frequently asked questions (FAQs) related to osteoporosis were subcategorized into diagnosis, diagnostic methods, risk factors, and treatment and prevention. Three orthopedic surgeons and one advanced practice provider who routinely treat patients with fragility fractures independently reviewed the ChatGPT-generated answers, grading them on a scale from 0 (harmful) to 4 (excellent). Mean response accuracy scores were calculated.
The authors reported that ChatGPT displayed an overall mean accuracy score of 91%. Its responses were graded as “accurate requiring minimal clarification” or “excellent,” with a mean response score ranging from 3.25 to 4. No answers were deemed inaccurate or harmful. No significant difference was observed in the means of responses across the defined categories.
Thus, while ChatGPT provided high-quality educational content in this particular study and AI models can enhance patient information accessibility, at present they should be used as an adjunct rather than a substitute for human expertise and clinical judgment.