AI Prompting Guidelines

In the age of generative AI, professionals across industries are leveraging tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney, and others to boost productivity and creativity. A recent survey found 78% of organizations use AI in at least one business function, illustrating how widespread this trend has become. Below, we provide an industry-by-industry overview of how prompting can be applied, guidelines for effective prompts, and example prompts (with recommended AI tools, difficulty level, and expected outcomes).

Healthcare AI Prompting Guidelines

Industry Overview

Healthcare professionals use AI prompting for tasks like summarizing medical literature, drafting patient communication, and even assisting in clinical decision support. In one survey, 20% of general practitioners reported using AI chatbots (like ChatGPT) in clinical practice for tasks such as writing patient letters or suggesting diagnoses. While patient safety and accuracy are paramount, prompting can help break down complex medical information or generate first drafts of educational materials.

Prompting Guidelines

  • Prioritize Accuracy: Clearly request evidence-based information or citations for medical facts. (e.g., "Provide references for your answer").
  • Use Layman's Terms (when needed): If the output is for patients, explicitly ask to explain in simple language.
  • State Role & Perspective: Indicate if the response should be from a doctor's perspective, a health coach, etc., to set the tone and depth.
  • Include Patient Details Carefully: Provide relevant patient info (age, symptoms, history) without personal identifiers to get context-specific advice or education.
  • Double-Check Everything: Use AI suggestions as a starting point and verify with medical professionals or trusted sources before actual use.

Example Prompts

BeginnerChatGPT
"Explain the treatment options for [Condition] in simple terms that a non-medical person can understand."
Patient education (plain-language explanation)
AdvancedChatGPT
"Summarize the findings of this medical research article on [Topic] into 3 bullet points and 2 sentences of conclusion."
Research summary for a busy clinician
BeginnerChatGPT
"Draft a follow-up email to a patient who had [Procedure], reminding them of their care instructions and next appointment."
Patient communication (post-procedure email)
AdvancedChatGPT
"Given a patient with symptoms [A, B, C] and history of [X], list possible differential diagnoses (at least 3) and what key test would confirm each."
Clinical reasoning aid (diagnostic brainstorming)
BeginnerChatGPT
"Create 5 tips for healthy living for someone with [Chronic Condition], to include in a clinic newsletter (concise and encouraging tone)."
Preventive health content for patient newsletter

Medical Disclaimer

AI-generated content should never replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with qualified healthcare providers before making medical decisions or implementing AI-suggested content in clinical settings.