Exploring Early Perceptions and Experiences of ChatGPT in Pediatric Critical Care: A Qualitative Study Among Healthcare Professionals

Abstract

This qualitative inquiry explores the initial impressions and firsthand encounters of healthcare professionals (HCPs) with ChatGPT, a Generative Pre-trained Transformer, within Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs). Through focus group discussions held at a tertiary academic center, a diverse cadre of HCPs was engaged to ascertain their awareness, utilization patterns, perceived advantages, and apprehensions regarding ChatGPT. The analysis revealed three primary themes: understanding and ease of use of ChatGPT, its practical applications in clinical workflows for critically ill children and information retrieval, and the ethical considerations associated with its deployment. While participants praised ChatGPT for its engaging interface and potential to streamline tasks and provide prompt information, notable reservations surfaced regarding its limitations, particularly in medical accuracy, currency of data, and ethical implications. The findings suggest a cautious optimism towards integrating Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI), like ChatGPT, in pediatric critical care, highlighting the need for balanced, informed, and transparent applications, with ongoing evaluation of GAI technologies in pediatric healthcare settings.