Good ways to use it
- Explaining a medical word in plain English: "What does hypertension mean?"
- Preparing questions to ask your doctor about a new medicine.
- Turning a long leaflet into a short summary, to read alongside the original.
- Ideas for gentle exercise or healthy meals, to check with your doctor.
Never use it for
- Deciding whether to start, stop or change a medicine or a dose.
- Deciding whether a symptom is serious.
- Emergencies. If you or someone else is very unwell, call 000.
Check against trusted health sites
For reliable health information in Australia, use healthdirect (another website), which is funded by the Australian, state and territory governments. Your pharmacist is also a free and knowledgeable person to ask.
Remember the privacy lesson: describe a situation in general terms rather than typing your name, Medicare number or full medical history.
Try this
- Think of a medical word you have heard but never quite understood.
- Ask a chatbot to explain it in plain English.
- Then look it up on healthdirect and see whether the two explanations agree.
Safety tip
AI can help you ask better questions. It cannot give you answers about your own health. Always check with a doctor, nurse or pharmacist.