Anthropic announces Claude for Healthcare following OpenAI’s ChatGPT Health reveal

In a significant move following OpenAI's introduction of ChatGPT Health, Anthropic has launched Claude for Healthcare, a comprehensive suite of tools designed for healthcare providers, payers, and patients. This innovative platform enables users to integrate health data from various devices, including smartphones and smartwatches. Both companies have committed to not utilizing this data for training their models. However, Anthropic claims that Claude for Healthcare offers a more advanced solution compared to ChatGPT Health, which appears to focus primarily on enhancing patient interactions in a gradual rollout. While some healthcare professionals express concerns regarding the potential risks of AI models providing medical advice, Anthropic's “agent skills” could present promising solutions. Claude introduces new “connectors” that grant the AI access to essential platforms and databases, facilitating quicker research and report generation for healthcare providers and payers. Notable resources include the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Coverage Database, the International Classifications of Diseases (ICD-10), the National Provider Identifier Registry, and PubMed. According to a blog post by Anthropic, these connectors can significantly expedite the prior authorization review process, where doctors must provide additional information to insurance companies to obtain approval for treatments or medications. Mike Krieger, Anthropic's Chief Product Officer, highlighted that clinicians often find themselves spending more time on administrative tasks than on patient care. Automating these processes, as opposed to the actual delivery of medical advice, appears to be a sensible approach. As reliance on large language models for health-related inquiries grows, OpenAI reported that approximately 230 million individuals engage with ChatGPT about their health weekly. Anthropic is undoubtedly taking notice of this trend. Both companies, however, continue to emphasize the importance of consulting healthcare professionals for more accurate and personalized medical guidance.