Informed consent is foundational to the patient-surgeon relationship, both a legal safeguard and a core ethical duty. It’s also a repetitive, time-consuming task that too often competes with face time in clinic or precision in the OR. With the rise of generative AI, a new question is gaining traction among aesthetic surgeons: Can AI reliably draft informed consent forms? And should you let it?
A new study published in Aesthetic Surgery Journal puts these questions to the test, and Surgical Aesthetics 411 is here to break down what it means for your practice.
The Shorter, Smarter Option?
The study compared consent forms for five core aesthetic procedures: liposuction, breast augmentation, abdominoplasty, breast lift, and blepharoplasty. ChatGPT’s versions were dramatically shorter, about one-third the length of the ASPS-generated documents. On average, the AI’s forms clocked in at 1,023 words versus 2,901. That’s an 8-minute time savings per patient, per form.
Readability also improved. ChatGPT hit an 11.2 grade level, compared to 12.5 for ASPS documents. While neither met the NIH-recommended 6th to 8th grade range, the AI’s improvement is a notable step in the right direction for patient comprehension.
Accuracy and Completeness
What about the real concern: Can an AI-generated form be trusted? Surprisingly, yes. According to blinded reviews by five attending plastic surgeons, there was no statistically significant difference in completeness or accuracy between the two sets.
The overall impression score for ChatGPT forms (2.33) was slightly higher than for the ASPS versions (2.23), although the difference wasn’t statistically significant. Even in critical subcategories like risks, benefits, and alternatives, ChatGPT held its own.
One caveat worth mentioning: Surgeon-generated forms scored higher on detailing potential complications. ChatGPT, on the other hand, did better describing expected pain and recovery, areas that matter just as much to patient satisfaction and preoperative expectation-setting.
What AI Did Better
ChatGPT’s forms included actionable, empathetic details often missing from standard consents. For instance, the blepharoplasty form warned about swelling, bruising, and the need to avoid contact lenses post-op, information patients often ask about but which may be buried in dense legalese elsewhere.
That kind of patient-centric language can be a strategic advantage that can improve communication, reduce postoperative confusion, and potentially lower litigation risks tied to unmet expectations.
What’s the Catch?
The study wasn’t perfect. It used ChatGPT-4 from early 2024, and performance may vary with newer or different AI models. It also focused on written documentation only, not the vital in-person consent conversation. The reviewers came from a single academic institution, so results may not generalize to private practices or non-U.S. settings.
Most critically, none of the forms, AI or human-written, met the ideal reading level for the average American adult. There’s still significant room for improvement across the board in making these documents truly accessible.
Bottom Line: Should You Use ChatGPT for Consent Forms in Your Practice?
Given the research presented, here’s our takeaway: If you’re spending too much time crafting or customizing informed consent forms, ChatGPT can likely do it faster and just as well, at least as a first draft. It won’t replace the surgeon’s judgment or the legal review process, but it can be a useful tool to streamline patient communication without sacrificing accuracy.
Just make sure to edit. Double-check the content for legal compliance, procedure-specific details, and institutional preferences. But don’t dismiss AI outright. Used wisely, it could offload one of the least satisfying parts of your job and let you focus more on what you actually trained to do.
Informed consent is still your responsibility. But with AI, you now have a powerful tool to make the process faster, smarter, and more patient-friendly.
Optimizing AI for Your Consent Process
To use ChatGPT effectively, start with a clear, detailed prompt that includes the procedure name and any special considerations. Always include a request for risks, benefits, alternatives, and post-op expectations. Once generated, don’t rely on the AI output verbatim. Pass the form through your legal counsel, match it to your institutional standards, and consider adding surgeon-specific nuances that reflect your technique and philosophy. For busy practices, setting up templated prompts for common procedures can streamline workflow even further. Finally, integrate the AI-drafted content into your electronic health record system for easier access and audit trails.
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SOURCES: Aesthetic Surgery Journal
This content is intended for educational purposes only and does not substitute for clinical judgment. Treatment decisions should be based on individual patient needs, professional guidelines, and a comprehensive clinical evaluation.
