OpenAI's data policies: Can you use ChatGPT with patient info?
Healthcare professionals face HIPAA risks when using ChatGPT for patient data.
Deep Dive
A Reddit user with seven years of IT experience, whose office is near healthcare professionals, was asked by a colleague whether entering patients' personal information into ChatGPT is a problem. The user was unsure how to answer—they personally think it is—and is asking for opinions and any studies on the topic.
Key Points
- Consumer ChatGPT (free/Plus/Pro) may use conversations for model training unless users opt out in settings.
- OpenAI offers HIPAA-compliant Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) only for enterprise API customers, not consumer ChatGPT.
- Entering patient data (PHI) into consumer ChatGPT violates HIPAA and risks data leakage; API is the compliant alternative.
Why It Matters
Healthcare professionals must distinguish consumer AI from enterprise APIs to avoid legal liability and patient privacy breaches.