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Turn your lab results into plain words and doctor questions

  • For Parents and households
  • You practice Keeping the AI to your sources
  • Time about 5 minutes

About this exercise

Your blood work came back in the patient portal before your doctor has called. Get one numbered line for each of the 6 tests in the order listed, each labeled exactly In range or Outside range using the lab's own reference ranges, then a line starting "Ask Dr. Okafor:" with 2 questions. Don't guess causes or what anything means for your health, and say to ask your doctor about anything outside range. Under 140 words, plain text. Write a prompt that gets you exactly that.

Common mistakes when you ask AI for this

  • Letting the AI play doctor. Asked to explain results, the AI guesses causes like anemia or thyroid problems and suggests iron, which only your doctor can judge. Try: Add: "Don't guess causes or conditions and don't suggest any treatment. Say to ask my doctor."
  • Not fixing the labels. The AI invents its own words like "slightly low" or "borderline" and adds worry to normal results. Try: Say: "Label each test exactly In range or Outside range, using the lab's reference range."
  • No questions to bring. The AI ends with general advice instead of questions you can actually ask at the visit. Try: Add: "Last line: Ask Dr. Okafor: then 2 questions."
  • Getting a long report. The AI writes paragraphs per test with headings and extras like the potassium comment. Try: Say: "Exactly 6 numbered lines, one per test, then the questions line. Plain text."
  • Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for "under 140 words" and it often lands well over. Try: Cap each part: "each test line under 14 words."

What a strong prompt includes

  • Sets the labels
  • Rules out diagnosis
  • Asks for doctor questions
  • Sets the number of lines
  • Sets a word limit

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