It's no secret that health care has a staffing problem. But are patients really resorting to artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots when they can't get in to see a physician?

Medical Economics Associate Editor Austin Littrell sat down with Rosemarie Aznavorian, D.N.P., RN, CENP, CCWP, CCRN, senior vice president of client services and chief clinical officer at MedPro Healthcare Staffing, to talk about the growing gap between patient demand and available clinical staff.

Aznavorian explains how lower nursing school enrollment, pandemic-driven retirements and rising patient acuity are stretching hospitals and outpatient settings thin. She outlines the downstream effects: longer emergency department waits, delayed surgeries, missed care and increased risk of medical errors.

And, on the emerging trend of patients turning to GenAI tools like ChatGPT Health to self-diagnose when they cannot access care, Aznavorian discusses the risks of misdiagnosis, over-the-counter self-treatment and delayed preventive care, while emphasizing the need for clinicians to approach these conversations without judgment.

Register now for Physicians Practice's Practice Academy event: Practice Management Track, on March 19, 2026, from 1:00 PM-5:00 PM EDT: https://registration.physicianspractice.com

Music Credits:
Retro Disco Lounge Groove by MotifLab Music - stock.adobe.com
A Textbook Example by Skip Peck - stock.adobe.com

Editor's note: Episode timestamps and transcript produced using AI tools.

0:00 — Cold open
Why clinicians should be concerned — and not judgmental — about patients using AI tools.

0:17 — Intro and Practice Academy note

1:42 — Meet Rosemarie Aznavorian
MedPro’s staffing model and international workforce strategy.

2:42 — How staffing shortages affect patient access
Lower enrollment, retirements and rising acuity.

4:53 — Are patients turning to ChatGPT Health?
AI self-diagnosis and its risks.

6:21 — Where this is happening most
Rural areas, hospital deserts and overwhelmed emergency departments.

7:26 — Is any specialty driving patients toward AI?

8:34 — Should clinicians be worried?
Balancing awareness with non-judgmental communication.

10:21 — 5% of ChatGPT messages are health care-related
Unmet needs, curiosity or frustration?

11:45 — Risks to practices
Misdiagnosis and over-the-counter self-treatment.

12:36 — Is staffing the answer?
How acuity changes nurse needs.

13:57 — The 80/10/10 staffing model explained

16:58 — Closing thoughts

17:15 — Outro

S1 Ep129: Staffing shortages and AI self-diagnosis, with Rosemarie Aznavorian, D.N.P., RN

Off the Chart: A Business of Medicine Podcast