Following the recent announcement of OpenAI’s ChatGPT Health, Anthropic has now introduced Claude for Healthcare. This new suite of tools is designed for healthcare providers, insurance payers, and patients.
Similar to ChatGPT Health, Claude for Healthcare will enable users to connect health data from their personal devices like phones and smart watches. Both companies have stated that this sensitive data will not be used to train their artificial intelligence models. However, Anthropic’s product aims for greater sophistication, while ChatGPT Health appears initially more focused on a conversational experience for patients.
The expansion of large language models into healthcare does raise concerns among professionals, as these AI systems can sometimes generate incorrect information. To address accuracy and utility, Anthropic has developed “agent skills” for Claude. These include specialized “connectors” that give the AI access to critical medical databases. These databases are the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Coverage Database, the International Classifications of Diseases, the National Provider Identifier Registry, and PubMed.
Anthropic explains that these connectors can streamline administrative tasks. One key application is speeding up the prior authorization review process, where doctors must submit documentation to insurance companies for treatment approval. The company’s Chief Product Officer, Mike Krieger, noted that clinicians often spend excessive time on paperwork instead of with patients. Automating such administrative work allows medical professionals to focus more on their specialized expertise, though Claude will also be capable of offering medical advice.
Public interest in using AI for health questions is significant. OpenAI reports that 230 million users ask ChatGPT about health each week, a trend Anthropic has undoubtedly observed. Both companies explicitly caution that their AI tools are not replacements for professional medical care, and consumers should always seek guidance from qualified healthcare providers for reliable and personalized advice.