Banner Health says more people are using AI and ChatGPT to see if they’ve been poisoned. The poison control hotline is also experiencing a drop in calls but a rise in the seriousness of incidents.
Across hospitals, there’s also been an uptick in reports of people coming in with potential poisonings.
Maureen Roland, the director of the Banner Poison and Drug Information Center, says people attempting to self-diagnose shouldn’t just rely on the internet for answers.
“There are some great purposes that AI can be used in within medicine, but as you know with the internet, sometimes the answers aren’t always quite as accurate as you would like," she said.
Open 24/7, the center's hotline is staffed by nurses and poison information providers. It typically receives more than 110,000 calls annually.
“Toxicology, what we deal with every day, tends to be a little gray, so it’s not always such an easy black and white," she said. "We do want to ask questions and find out a little bit more.”
Anyone with an emergency involving poisoning or drugs should call to get the best advice. Every year, the center says it prevents an estimated 45,000 emergency department visits through the hotline.
To reach the center, call 602-253-3334.
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