When you feel unwell, it is tempting to ask a chatbot before you call a doctor.

A warning from the Australian Clinical Psychology Association urges GPs to be alert to potential negative impacts of AI-powered chatbots on patient wellbeing, as use of these tools grows.

Researchers from CSIRO and The University of Queensland tested a scenario where a non-professional health consumer asks ChatGPT whether treatment “X” helps condition “Y”, across 100 questions ranging from common remedies to unusual home “fixes”.

In a question-only format, ChatGPT delivered accurate answers 80 percent of the time, but accuracy dropped to 63 percent when the question was biased with supporting or contrary evidence.

It fell again to 28 percent when an “unsure” option was allowed.

Dr Bevan Koopman, CSIRO Principal Research Scientist and Associate Professor at The University of Queensland.

Dr Bevan Koopman from CSIRO and UQ said people keep searching for health answers online, increasingly via tools such as ChatGPT, and that more research is needed to understand where these models help and where they do not.

For Hibiscus Coast locals who cannot get a local doctor’s appointment soon, one option mentioned is Online GP Care.

It's a paid service with appointments usually available the same day, paid by debit or credit card, with a Community Services Card if you have one, and video consults requiring internet access and sometimes ID.

Another option is Healthline, a free over-the-phone health service available 24/7, call 0800 611 116 or request a call back at info.health.nz/healthline.

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