OpenAI just made a move that could change how millions of people think about their health. This week, the company launched ChatGPT Health, a completely new feature that brings your medical records and fitness data directly into ChatGPT. This is not a small update. It is a dedicated space built from the ground up for health conversations.
Think about it. Over 230 million people already ask ChatGPT health questions every single week. Now OpenAI is giving those users a way to get answers based on their own health data instead of generic information from the internet.
In this article, we will cover everything you need to know about ChatGPT Health. We will look at what it can do, which apps you can connect to, how your data stays protected, who can access it right now, and what limitations you should keep in mind before using it.
Let's get into it.
Executive Summary
OpenAI has launched ChatGPT Health, a dedicated space inside ChatGPT built specifically for health and wellness conversations. This feature lets users connect their medical records and fitness apps so the AI can give responses based on their actual health data instead of generic information.
The feature was developed over two years with input from more than 260 physicians across 60 countries. Health conversations are stored separately from regular chats with special encryption, and OpenAI has confirmed this data will not be used to train their AI models, and it will have encryption techniques for this chat.
The feature is designed to help users understand their health better, not to diagnose or treat medical conditions.
Key points to remember:
- Over 230 million people already ask health questions on ChatGPT every week
- Medical record connections only work for users in the United States
- Not available in the European Economic Area, Switzerland, or United Kingdom
- Apple Health connection requires an iPhone
- Available for ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plan users
- Supported apps include MyFitnessPal, Peloton, AllTrails, Function, and Weight Watchers
- A waitlist is now open with broader access coming in the following weeks
OpenAI Just Launched a Dedicated Health Feature Inside ChatGPT
OpenAI made a big announcement this week. The company has launched ChatGPT Health, a brand new feature built just for health and wellness conversations. This is not just another update to the chatbot. It is a completely separate space inside ChatGPT where you can talk about your health in a more personal and secure way.
The idea behind this feature is simple. OpenAI wants to give users a place where they can bring all their health information together and have meaningful conversations about it.
You can connect your medical records and fitness apps directly to ChatGPT Health. This means the AI can give you responses based on your actual health data instead of just general information.
Here is what you need to know right now:
- ChatGPT Health is a separate section inside ChatGPT, not a regular chat
- Your health conversations get extra privacy protections that regular chats do not have
- You can link your medical records and wellness apps to make conversations more useful
- OpenAI is not using your health chats to train their AI models
- A waitlist is now open, and broader access will roll out in the coming weeks
Why OpenAI Built a Separate Health Experience
Most people have their health information spread across many different places. Your lab results sit in one hospital portal. Your step count lives in a fitness app. Your doctor's notes are somewhere else. And that PDF from your last checkup is probably buried in your email. This makes it really hard to get a clear picture of your overall health.
OpenAI noticed something interesting. People were already coming to ChatGPT with their health questions in huge numbers. According to OpenAI's own data, over 230 million people ask health and wellness questions on ChatGPT every single week. That makes health one of the most popular reasons people use the chatbot today.
So OpenAI decided to build something dedicated for this need. Instead of just answering general health questions, they wanted to create a space where the AI could actually understand your personal health situation and give you more useful responses.
The main reasons behind this new feature:
- Health data is currently scattered across hospital portals, apps, wearables, PDFs, and doctor notes
- There was no easy way to bring all this information together in one place
- Millions of users were already turning to ChatGPT for health guidance every week
- OpenAI wanted to help people feel more informed before visiting their doctors
- The goal is to support better health conversations, not replace medical care
ChatGPT Health is built to be useful in everyday situations. You can connect your medical records and wellness apps so the AI knows your actual health history. This means when you ask something, the response is based on your real data and not just generic advice from the internet.
If you got your lab results and the numbers are confusing, you can just ask ChatGPT Health; it can explain them to you. If you have a doctor appointment coming up, it can help you figure out what to ask based on your health history.
Normal ChatGPT can also do the same thing, but in this new feature, users get extra privacy, and also your data is not used to train the new models.
Which Apps and Services Can You Connect?
ChatGPT Health becomes more useful when you connect your health data to it. The feature supports two main types of connections. First, you can link your medical records. Second, you can connect the wellness and fitness apps you already use every day.
For medical records, OpenAI has partnered with a company called b.well. This partnership lets you pull in your lab results, visit summaries, and clinical history from trusted healthcare providers. Right now, this medical records connection only works for users in the United States.
The wellness app options give you more ways to bring your daily health data into ChatGPT Health. Each app serves a different purpose and adds different information to your health conversations.
Here are the apps you can connect right now:
- Apple Health: Brings in your movement, sleep, and activity data (only works on iPhone)
- Function: Adds lab test insights and nutrition guidance
- MyFitnessPal: Shares your nutrition data, macros, and meal information
- Weight Watchers: Provides personalized meal ideas and food guidance
- AllTrails: Helps you find hiking trails and outdoor activities
- Instacart: Turns your meal plans into grocery shopping lists
- Peloton: Suggests workout classes and guided meditations based on your fitness goals
How Does ChatGPT Health Protect Your Health Data?
Health information is personal and sensitive. OpenAI understands this, which is why they built ChatGPT Health with extra layers of protection that go beyond what regular ChatGPT offers.
The first thing to know is that Health operates as a completely separate space inside ChatGPT. Your health conversations, the apps you connect, and any files you share are all stored away from your regular chats.
Health even has its own memory system. This means what you discuss in Health stays in Health. Your regular ChatGPT conversations cannot see or access anything from your Health space.
OpenAI also added stronger security measures specifically for health data. They built special encryption just for this feature. Your health conversations are not used to train their AI models either. This was a clear commitment from OpenAI to protect user privacy.
You also stay in full control of your data at all times. If you want to disconnect an app, you can do it instantly and that app loses access right away.
Who Built ChatGPT Health and Can You Trust It?
OpenAI did not build this feature alone. They worked closely with medical professionals for over two years to make sure ChatGPT Health gives helpful and safe responses. More than 260 doctors from 60 countries were involved in this process. These physicians came from dozens of different medical specialties and provided feedback on the AI's responses over 600,000 times.
This collaboration shaped how ChatGPT Health talks to users. The doctors helped decide things like when the AI should urge someone to see a doctor quickly and how to explain medical information without making it too simple or too complicated.
To measure quality, OpenAI created something called HealthBench. This is a testing system built with input from real doctors. It checks whether responses are safe, clear, and appropriate for each situation.
However, there is an important thing to remember. ChatGPT Health is meant to support your healthcare, not replace it. It cannot diagnose conditions or provide treatment.
Key things to know about trust and safety:
- Over 260 physicians from 60 countries helped build this feature
- Doctors reviewed AI responses more than 600,000 times during development
- HealthBench evaluates responses based on real clinical standards
- The feature is designed to inform you, not diagnose or treat you
- OpenAI encourages users to always consult their doctors for medical decisions
What If You Want Even More Privacy Control?
While ChatGPT Health offers strong privacy protections, some users may prefer to keep their health data completely offline. For those who want maximum privacy, Elephas offers a solid alternative.
Elephas is a Mac-native AI assistant that lets you create a private brain for your health documents.
Here is what makes it different:
- Store medical records, lab results, and health notes locally on your Mac
- Run built-in local LLM models completely offline without internet connection
- Chat with your health data just like ChatGPT, but everything stays on your device
- Upload PDFs of lab reports and doctor notes into your private brain
- Query your health information anytime without sending data to external servers
This approach works well for users who want AI-powered health insights but are not comfortable sharing sensitive medical information with cloud-based services.
What About Healthcare Professionals? OpenAI for Healthcare
OpenAI is not just building health tools for regular users. The company also launched OpenAI for Healthcare, a separate product made specifically for hospitals and medical institutions. This is an enterprise-grade solution that helps healthcare organizations deliver better care while meeting strict privacy rules like HIPAA.
Several major healthcare organizations are already using this product. The list includes Boston Children's Hospital, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Stanford Medicine Children's Health, HCA Healthcare, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and UCSF. These are some of the biggest names in healthcare, which shows that OpenAI is taking this space seriously.
The product is built to handle the real work that happens inside hospitals and clinics. It helps medical teams find evidence from research studies, follow their institution's approved guidelines, and create documents like discharge summaries and patient instructions faster.
Here is what OpenAI for Healthcare offers:
- AI models built specifically for clinical and research workflows
- Evidence retrieval with clear citations from peer-reviewed medical studies
- Integration with hospital policies and care pathways
- Ready-made templates for common medical documents
- Data controls and a Business Associate Agreement to support HIPAA compliance
- Patient data is not used to train OpenAI's models
Who Can Access ChatGPT Health Right Now?
ChatGPT Health is not available to everyone just yet. OpenAI is rolling it out slowly, starting with a small group of early users. This gives them time to learn from real usage and make improvements before opening it up to more people. The plan is to expand access on web and iOS in the coming weeks.
If you want to try it, you need to be on one of the supported ChatGPT plans. Users on Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plans are all eligible. However, where you live matters too. Some regions are currently excluded from access.
Here is who can and cannot access it right now:
- Users on ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plans are eligible
- The feature is not available in the European Economic Area, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom
- Medical record connections only work for users in the United States
- Connecting Apple Health requires an iPhone since it only works on iOS
- Broader access is expected to roll out in the coming weeks
You can also join their waiting list.
How Do You Get Started with ChatGPT Health?
Getting started with ChatGPT Health takes a few simple steps. First, you need to join the waitlist on OpenAI's website and wait until access is granted to your account. Once you have access, you will see a new option called Health in the sidebar menu of ChatGPT.
From there, you can start connecting your health information. You can upload files directly or link your apps through the tools menu. Every app you connect will ask for your permission before accessing any health data. OpenAI requires all connected apps to meet their privacy and security standards.
You can also customize how ChatGPT Health works for you by adding special instructions that only apply to your health conversations.
What Are the Limitations of ChatGPT Health?
Before you start using ChatGPT Health, it is important to understand what it cannot do.
On the medical side, this feature is not a replacement for professional medical care. It cannot diagnose conditions, prescribe treatments, or handle medical emergencies. You should always consult healthcare providers for serious health concerns.
There are also some technical limitations to keep in mind:
- Medical records integration is currently limited to US users only
- Apple Health connection requires an iOS device
- Some wellness apps may have limited availability
- Feature access is being rolled out gradually to users
When it comes to privacy, remember that apps need your explicit permission before connecting to Health. Third-party apps may collect certain data types, so review what each app can access before giving permission.
Think of ChatGPT Health as a helpful tool for understanding your health information, not a replacement for your doctor.
If you want a better alternative, try out Elephas. You can do everything that you can do with ChatGPT, but everything stays local, and no information goes to 3rd party servers.
