OpenAI launched ChatGPT Health on January 7, 2026, creating a dedicated space where users can connect medical records and wellness apps to get personalized health guidance. This new feature transforms how people interact with AI about their health by grounding conversations in actual medical data rather than generic advice.
Over 230 million people globally ask health and wellness questions on ChatGPT each week, making health one of the platform's most common uses. ChatGPT Health builds on this massive demand with enhanced privacy protections and the ability to connect real health data for more relevant responses.
This guide explains everything you need to know about ChatGPT Health, from its features and security measures to how you can start using it.
What ChatGPT Health Does
ChatGPT Health is a separate, protected space within ChatGPT designed specifically for health conversations. Unlike regular ChatGPT chats, this feature lets you connect your medical records and wellness apps so the AI can provide answers based on your actual health information.
The feature helps you understand test results, prepare questions for doctor appointments, track fitness goals, and make sense of scattered health data. It is designed to support, not replace, medical care and is not intended for diagnosis or treatment.
Think of it as a personal health assistant that knows your medical history and can help you navigate the complex healthcare system. It does not diagnose conditions or prescribe treatments. Instead, it helps you become more informed before speaking with real healthcare providers.
Key Features and Capabilities
ChatGPT Health offers several practical tools for managing your health information:
Medical Records Integration: Through b.well, users can connect their health data and medical records from U.S. healthcare providers. This includes lab results, visit summaries, and clinical history from over 2.2 million providers.
Wellness App Connections: You can link popular health apps including Apple Health, MyFitnessPal, Weight Watchers, Function, Peloton, AllTrails, and Instacart. Each app requires explicit permission before sharing data.
Lab Result Interpretation: The AI explains blood test results and other medical reports in plain language so you understand what your numbers mean.
Appointment Preparation: Generate specific questions to ask your doctor based on your symptoms and medical history.
Fitness and Nutrition Tracking: Connect wearables and food tracking apps to get personalized advice on diet and exercise routines.
Insurance Navigation: Understand different insurance options based on your healthcare usage patterns.
Privacy and Security Protections
OpenAI built ChatGPT Health with multiple layers of security specifically for sensitive health data:
| Security Feature | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Data Isolation | Health conversations are stored separately from other chats using purpose-built encryption and isolation |
| No Model Training | Conversations in Health are not used to train OpenAI's foundation models |
| Separate Memory | Health memories and information do not flow into regular ChatGPT conversations |
| Encryption | All data is encrypted at rest and in transit with additional health-specific encryption |
| App Permissions | Apps can only connect with explicit user permission, even if already connected to ChatGPT outside of Health |
| Multi-Factor Authentication | Users can enable MFA for extra account protection |
The health space operates completely separately from your regular chats. Information discussed in ChatGPT Health stays there and does not appear in other conversations.
How ChatGPT Health Was Developed
OpenAI worked with more than 260 physicians who have practiced in 60 countries and dozens of specialties over two years to develop this feature. These doctors provided over 600,000 pieces of feedback on AI responses to ensure accuracy and safety.
OpenAI also created HealthBench, a specialized evaluation framework that measures how well the AI performs on real health tasks. The benchmark focuses on safety, clarity, appropriate escalation to doctors, and respect for individual context rather than just test-style accuracy.
This physician-guided approach helps ensure the AI provides helpful support without overstepping into areas that require professional medical judgment.
Who Can Use ChatGPT Health Right Now
ChatGPT Health is rolling out gradually starting January 7, 2026:
Current Availability: Users with ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plans outside the European Economic Area, Switzerland, and the U.K. can join the waitlist.
Platform Access: Available on web and iOS at launch. Android support is coming soon.
Geographic Restrictions: Medical records integration through b.well is currently U.S.-only. Some wellness app connections are also limited to the United States.
Age Requirement: Users must be 18 or older to connect medical records.
OpenAI plans to expand access to all eligible users on web and iOS within the coming weeks.
How to Get Started with ChatGPT Health
Follow these steps to start using the health feature:
- Join the Waitlist: Visit the ChatGPT Health waitlist page if you don't have access yet
- Select Health from Sidebar: Once enabled, click "Health" in your ChatGPT sidebar menu
- Connect Your Data: Upload medical files directly or connect apps through Settings
- Grant Permissions: Approve each app individually to share data with Health
- Start Conversations: Ask health questions grounded in your personal information
For Apple Health specifically, you need an iPhone running iOS. Grant permissions through the ChatGPT app, and syncing can take minutes to hours after connecting.
What You Can Do with ChatGPT Health
Here are practical ways to use this feature:
Understanding Medical Results: Upload lab reports to get explanations of what your cholesterol, blood sugar, or other values mean in plain language.
Pre-Appointment Planning: Review your symptoms and medical history to create a list of specific questions for your next doctor visit.
Medication Checking: Cross-reference new prescriptions against your medical history to identify potential conflicts (though always verify with your pharmacist or doctor).
Fitness Goal Setting: Connect your Apple Health or Peloton data to get personalized workout recommendations based on your current activity levels.
Nutrition Guidance: Link MyFitnessPal or other food tracking apps to receive meal suggestions that align with your health goals and dietary restrictions.
Insurance Decisions: Compare coverage options based on your typical healthcare usage patterns and medication needs.
Important Limitations to Understand
ChatGPT Health has clear boundaries you should know:
Not for Diagnosis: The AI cannot diagnose medical conditions. If you have symptoms, see a real doctor.
Not for Treatment: It does not prescribe medications or create treatment plans. Always follow your healthcare provider's recommendations.
Not HIPAA Compliant: Consumer health apps are not covered by HIPAA. While OpenAI provides strong security measures, this is not the same as HIPAA-regulated medical systems.
Requires Verification: Always confirm important health information with qualified medical professionals before making decisions.
Privacy Trade-offs: Without clear legal limits and enforceable oversight, self-policed safeguards may not be enough to protect people from misuse or downstream harm, according to privacy advocates.
Privacy Concerns and Expert Warnings
Despite OpenAI's security measures, privacy experts have raised concerns:
Public Citizen's J.B. Branch stated that consumers often lack meaningful consent, transparency, or control over how their data is used, retained, or repurposed. Health data is uniquely sensitive, and without comprehensive federal privacy laws, users bear the responsibility of deciding whether to trust these protections.
Andrew Crawford from the Center for Democracy and Technology noted that many users mistakenly assume health data is protected based on its sensitivity, rather than on who holds it. Technology companies like OpenAI are not bound by the same medical privacy regulations as hospitals or doctors.
If you choose to use ChatGPT Health, understand that you are voluntarily sharing sensitive information with a technology company, not a healthcare provider.
Managing Your Health Data
You have control over your information in ChatGPT Health:
View Memories: Check what Health has remembered about you in Personalization settings
Delete Conversations: Remove any Health chat at any time
Disconnect Apps: Stop sharing data from any connected app through Settings
Delete Medical Records: Disconnecting medical records deletes them from b.well's systems
Set Custom Instructions: Control how Health presents information or limit certain topics
Note that disconnecting apps stops future data sharing but does not automatically remove information already mentioned in past conversations. You need to delete those chats separately.
The Technology Behind the Scenes
ChatGPT Health uses several key technologies:
b.well Partnership: b.well operates a highly connected health data network with access to live clinical data across more than 2.2 million providers and 320 health plans. This FHIR-based platform handles identity verification, consent management, and data security.
HealthBench Evaluation: OpenAI's custom benchmark measures AI performance on realistic health scenarios rather than medical exam questions.
GPT-5 Model: The underlying AI model showed significant improvements in health-related capabilities when launched in August 2025.
Purpose-Built Encryption: Additional encryption layers specifically designed for health data beyond standard ChatGPT security.
Comparison with Regular ChatGPT Health Questions
| Feature | Regular ChatGPT | ChatGPT Health |
|---|---|---|
| Health Questions | Generic advice based on general knowledge | Personalized responses using your medical data |
| Data Connections | Cannot access medical records or health apps | Connects to medical records and wellness apps |
| Privacy | Standard ChatGPT security | Enhanced encryption and isolation |
| Training Data | May be used for model training (unless disabled) | Never used for model training |
| Memory | Shared across all conversations | Separate health-only memory |
| Availability | All users | Gradual rollout with waitlist |
Tips for Using ChatGPT Health Safely
Follow these best practices to protect yourself:
Start Small: Begin with less sensitive information to see how the feature works before connecting all your medical records.
Verify Important Information: Always confirm critical health information with qualified medical professionals.
Use Multi-Factor Authentication: Enable MFA on your OpenAI account for extra security.
Review Permissions Regularly: Check which apps have access and disconnect any you no longer use.
Read Privacy Policies: Understand how both OpenAI and connected apps handle your data.
Keep Regular Backups: Save important health information in other secure locations, not just ChatGPT Health.
Be Cautious with Sharing: Do not share login credentials or screenshots of health conversations that contain sensitive information.
Common Questions About ChatGPT Health
Will this replace my doctor? No. ChatGPT Health is designed to help you prepare for medical appointments and understand health information, not to provide diagnosis or treatment.
Is my data really private? OpenAI implements strong security measures, but you are sharing sensitive information with a technology company that is not subject to HIPAA regulations.
Can I use this outside the United States? Yes, but medical records integration is currently U.S.-only. The feature is not available in the European Economic Area, Switzerland, or the U.K.
What happens if I delete my account? Your health data is deleted according to OpenAI's data retention policies. Medical records are also removed from b.well's systems when you disconnect.
Does this work on Android? Android support is coming soon but was not available at launch.
The Future of AI Health Assistants
ChatGPT Health represents OpenAI's push to become a central hub for personal health data management. The company seeks to establish itself as the new digital interface that mediates interactions between different industry sectors and their customers, including healthcare.
This launch follows broader trends where AI companies compete to become the primary "front door" for consumer healthcare. Major tech companies and startups are racing to build AI tools that help people navigate the complex healthcare system.
As AI capabilities improve, features like ChatGPT Health may become more sophisticated at identifying patterns in health data, providing earlier warnings about potential issues, and helping people make more informed healthcare decisions. However, the fundamental principle remains: AI assists, but doctors diagnose and treat.
Should You Use ChatGPT Health?
Consider these factors when deciding:
Good fit if you:
- Want help understanding medical test results
- Need to prepare questions before doctor appointments
- Track health data across multiple apps and want it in one place
- Feel comfortable sharing health information with a technology company
- Understand this is a support tool, not medical advice
Probably not right if you:
- Have concerns about privacy and data security
- Want HIPAA-compliant health information storage
- Live outside supported regions
- Expect the AI to diagnose conditions or recommend treatments
- Prefer keeping all health information with healthcare providers only
Conclusion
ChatGPT Health launches at a time when millions of people already use AI for health questions. By creating a dedicated, more secure space with actual medical data integration, OpenAI aims to make these conversations more useful and personalized.
The feature offers genuine value for people who want help navigating complex health information. Understanding test results, preparing for appointments, and connecting scattered health data are real problems that ChatGPT Health addresses.
However, the privacy trade-offs are significant. You are voluntarily sharing sensitive medical information with a technology company that operates outside traditional healthcare regulations. The security measures are strong, but not equivalent to HIPAA protections.
If you decide to use ChatGPT Health, approach it as a support tool that helps you become more informed. Let it explain your lab results, suggest questions for your doctor, and track fitness progress. But always verify important health information with qualified medical professionals before making decisions about your care.
The waitlist is open now for eligible users. Whether ChatGPT Health is right for you depends on your comfort level with AI, your privacy concerns, and your specific health information needs.