Enhancing Patient Comprehension of Glomerular Disease Treatments Using ChatGPT

Background/Objectives: It is often challenging for patients to understand treatment options, their mechanisms of action, and the potential side effects of each treatment option for glomerular disorders. This study explored the ability of ChatGPT to simplify these treatment options to enhance patient understanding. Methods: GPT-4 was queried on sixty-seven glomerular disorders using two distinct queries for a general explanation and an explanation adjusted for an 8th grade level or lower. Accuracy was rated on a scale of 1 (incorrect) to 5 (correct and comprehensive). Readability was measured using the average of the Flesch-Kincaid Grade (FKG) and SMOG indices, along with the Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) score. The understandability score (%) was determined using the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for Printable Materials (PEMAT-P). Results: GPT-4's general explanations had an average readability level of 12.85 ± 0.93, corresponding to the upper end of high school. When tailored for patients at or below an 8th-grade level, the readability improved to a middle school level of 8.44 ± 0.72. The FRE and PEMAT-P scores also reflected improved readability and understandability, increasing from 25.73 ± 6.98 to 60.75 ± 4.56 and from 60.7% to 76.8% (p < 0.0001 for both), respectively. The accuracy of GPT-4's tailored explanations was significantly lower compared to the general explanations (3.99 ± 0.39 versus 4.56 ± 0.66, p < 0.0001). Conclusions: ChatGPT shows significant potential for enhancing the readability and understandability of glomerular disorder therapies for patients, but at a cost of reduced comprehensiveness. Further research is needed to refine the performance, evaluate the real-world impact, and ensure the ethical use of ChatGPT in healthcare settings.