Comparing ChatGPT vs Surgeon-Generated Informed Consent Documentation for Plastic Surgery Procedures

Informed consent is a crucial requirement of a patient's surgical care but can be a burdensome task. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning language models may provide an alternative approach to writing detailed, readable consent forms in an efficient manner. No studies have assessed the accuracy and completeness of AI-generated consents for aesthetic plastic surgeries. This study aims to compare the length, reading level, accuracy, and completeness of informed consent forms that are AI chatbot (ChatGPT-4; OpenAI, San Francisco, CA) generated vs plastic surgeon generated for the most commonly performed aesthetic plastic surgeries. This study is a cross-sectional design comparing informed consent forms created by the American Association of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) with informed consent forms generated by ChatGPT-4 for the 5 most commonly performed plastic surgery procedures: liposuction, breast augmentation, abdominoplasty, breast lift, and blepharoplasty. The average word count of ChatGPT forms was lower than the ASPS-generated forms (1023 vs 2901, P = .01). Average reading level for ChatGPT forms was also lower than the ASPS forms (11.2 vs 12.5, P = .02). There was no difference between accuracy and completeness scores for general descriptions of the surgery, risks, benefits, or alternatives. The mean overall impression score for ChatGPT consents was 2.33, whereas it was 2.23 for ASPS consent forms (P = .18). In this study, the authors demonstrate that informed consent forms generated by ChatGPT were significantly shorter and more readable than ASPS forms with no significant difference in completeness and accuracy.