They cite a 2024 article in the New England Journal of Medicine reporting that Lifespan, the largest healthcare system in the state of Rhode Island, fed their surgical consent form for patients into ChaptGPT-4 with this 14-word prompt:
“’While preserving content and meaning, convert this consent to the average American reading level.’”
The original form was at the 12th grade reading level, then revised at 7th grade level. Note: the average American reads at about the 6th grade level.
Sutton says that in the original form one instruction was, “You have the right to be informed about the surgical procedure(s) which your provider recommends so that you can make an informed decision whether or not to undergo the procedure(s). The purpose of this form is to provide written acknowledgment of your consent.” Thanks to ChatGPT-4, the revised instruction is, “You have the right to know about your surgery and other treatments. This form is your agreement in writing.”