Your patient probably used AI before they used your portal.

Patients are showing up to visits with AI-generated summaries, questions, and even self-diagnoses. Research showed that 42% of patients said they frequently or very frequently use AI-generated information to help them prepare for their appointments. [Source: Wolters Kluwer Health 2026 survey, reported by Fierce Healthcare.]

That is not necessarily a threat. It is a signal.

If we treat AI as a conversation starter instead of a disruption, we can use it to improve patient understanding, reduce misinformation, and make shared decision-making stronger.

The opportunity is not to replace clinical judgment.
It is to meet patients where they already are — informed, anxious, and looking for clarity.

The clinicians who adapt well will not just answer questions.
They will guide better conversations.