Can AI reduce overall Medicare Cost?

I was sick for the last few days, but I don’t want to go to a clinic as they usually prescribe similar medications. You have existing medicines in your cabinet, but you are not sure about them. Going to the doctor will take 3 hours of the day with appointment booking, driving, tests, and getting medications. And it’s deducted from your insurance. Have you been in this situation before?

At first, I created a table of all medications with symptoms, side effects, and contraindications, but I felt overwhelmed.

Chemical Name	Common Brand Names	Common Uses	Symptoms Addressed	Major Side Effects	Contraindications/Warnings	Timing with Meals
Paracetamol (Acetaminophen)	Tylenol/Panadol	Pain reliever/fever reducer	Headache/fever/minor aches	Rare liver damage (high doses)	Liver disease/alcohol use disorder	Can be taken with or without food
Naproxen	Aleve/Naprosyn	NSAID pain reliever	Joint pain/inflammation/menstrual cramps	Stomach upset/bleeding risk	Pregnancy (3rd trimester)/heart disease/ulcers	Take with food to reduce stomach upset
Orphenadrine Citrate	Norflex	Muscle relaxant	Muscle spasms/pain	Drowsiness/dry mouth/blurred vision	Glaucoma/urinary retention/elderly patients	Take with food
Hyoscine Butylbromide	Buscopan	Antispasmodic	Abdominal cramps/IBS	Dry mouth/constipation	Glaucoma/myasthenia gravis/enlarged prostate	Take 20 minutes before meals
Esomeprazole	Nexium	Proton pump inhibitor	Acid reflux/ulcers	Headache/nausea/B12 deficiency	Long-term use risks/osteoporosis risk	Take 30 minutes before first meal
Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide	Maalox/Mylanta	Antacid	Heartburn/indigestion	Constipation/diarrhea	Kidney disease/phosphate deficiency	Take 1-3 hours after meals
Mefenamic Acid	Ponstel	NSAID pain reliever	Menstrual pain/arthritis	GI bleeding/kidney problems	Pregnancy/heart disease/bleeding disorders	Take with food
Prednisolone	Various brands	Corticosteroid	Inflammation/allergies/autoimmune	Weight gain/mood changes/bone loss	Infections/diabetes/osteoporosis	Take with food in the morning
Quinodochlor	Various brands	Antiseptic/antifungal	Skin infections	Skin irritation	Open wounds/large skin areas	External use only
Loperamide	Imodium	Anti-diarrheal	Diarrhea	Constipation/abdominal pain	Bacterial enterocolitis/severe colitis	Can be taken with or without food
Activated Charcoal	Various brands	Toxin absorption	Poisoning/gas	Constipation/black stools	Bowel obstruction	2 hours before or after other medications
Simeticone	Gas-X/Infacol	Anti-gas	Bloating/gas	Rarely any side effects	Generally safe	Take with meals
Domperidone	Motilium	Anti-nausea	Nausea/vomiting	Heart rhythm changes	Heart conditions/liver disease	15-30 minutes before meals
Loratadine	Claritin	Antihistamine	Allergies	Drowsiness (rare)/dry mouth	Liver disease	Can be taken with or without food
Norethisterone	Aygestin	Hormonal medication	Menstrual disorders	Mood changes/breast tenderness	Pregnancy/liver disease/blood clots	Take with food at same time daily
Levocetirizine	Xyzal	Antihistamine	Allergies	Drowsiness/dry mouth	Kidney disease	Can be taken with or without food
Dimenhydrinate	Dramamine	Anti-motion sickness	Motion sickness/vertigo	Drowsiness/dry mouth	Glaucoma/prostate problems	30 minutes before travel/with food
Tranexamic Acid	Lysteda	Anti-bleeding	Heavy menstrual bleeding	Nausea/diarrhea	Blood clots/color vision problems	Take with food
Prochlorperazine	Compazine	Anti-nausea	Nausea/vertigo	Drowsiness/movement disorders	Parkinson’s disease	Can be taken with or without food
Montelukast	Singulair	Anti-asthma	Asthma/allergies	Mood changes/behavior changes	Depression/liver disease	Take in evening with or without food
Chlorpheniramine	Chlor-Trimeton	Antihistamine	Allergies	Drowsiness/dry mouth	Glaucoma/enlarged prostate	Can be taken with or without food
Eperisone HCl	Myonal	Muscle relaxant	Muscle spasms	Drowsiness/nausea	Liver disease	Take after meals
Norfloxacin	Noroxin	Antibiotic	Bacterial infections	Tendon damage/nerve problems	Pregnancy/young children	Take on empty stomach (1hr before or 2hrs after meals)
Enhancin	Augmentin	Antibiotic	Bacterial infections	Diarrhea/rash	Penicillin allergy/liver disease	Take at start of meal
Celecoxib	Celebrex	NSAID pain reliever	Arthritis/pain	Heart/stroke risk/bleeding	Heart disease/stomach ulcers	Can be taken with or without food
Metformin	Glucophage	Anti-diabetic	Type 2 diabetes	Nausea/B12 deficiency	Kidney disease/severe heart failure	Take with meals
Rabeprazole	Aciphex	Proton pump inhibitor	Acid reflux/ulcers	Headache/vitamin deficiencies	Long-term use risks	Take 30 minutes before first meal
Azithromycin	Zithromax	Antibiotic	Bacterial infections	Heart rhythm changes/diarrhea	Liver disease/heart conditions	Can be taken with or without food
Fluconazole	Diflucan	Antifungal	Fungal infections	Liver problems/rash	Pregnancy/QT prolongation	Can be taken with or without food
Bromhexine	Bisolvon	Expectorant	Chest congestion	Mild GI upset	Pregnancy/peptic ulcer	Take after meals

It was tough for me to make decisions, with many side effects making me worry which medicine to take.

So, I created a flowchart using the following prompt:

create a flow chart when I mentioned a symptom and then more questions are asked verifiying where the patients have any contradictions/warnings so that all contradicting choices are negated and I land up in most suitable choice.

Output: https://claude.site/artifacts/3751e1d9-d651-480e-ae15-6f6bd0e9c058

Later, I found that my prompt had a problem: it’s not providing instructions on how to check various medical conditions.

Below is the additional prompt with the attached flowchart.

in the below flowchart, I've steps to evaluate conditions such as whether I've liver conditions, heart conditions, etc. How can I pressure evaluate those conditions such at home. The person has higher blood pressure device, oximeter, can touch and feel pain at certain areas, can understand stiffness in various parts of body, can evaluate urine color, can look at stool, can look at eye and see it's color and can measure body temperature.

Output: https://claude.site/artifacts/d596571c-60fa-4114-a4dc-01e27cc8aed7

But I want a composite flowchart that tells me which conditions to monitor and which medications to take.

I attached two files and asked AI to develop a composite chart, but it missed some nodes as AI was reaching the context window to create it in a single file. After two iterations and splitting the prompt, I got all the texts, verified them, and later merged them using the Mermaid chart editor.
Here is the complete code:

[mermaid]---
config:
  layout: dagre
  theme: base
---
flowchart TD
    A["Start: Symptom Assessment"] --> B{"Primary Symptom Category"} & VS["Check Vital Signs"] & W["CRITICAL WARNINGS:
    - Always check drug interactions
    - Start with lowest effective dose
    - Monitor vital signs regularly
    - Track side effects
    - Document symptoms
    - Seek immediate medical help if:
      * Severe symptoms develop
      * Uncertainty about condition
      * No improvement after treatment"]
    VS --> VS1["Monitor:
    - BP: Normal &lt;120/80, High &gt;130/80
    - O2: Normal 95-100%, Low &lt;95%
    - Temp: Normal 97.8-99°F, Fever &gt;100.4°F"]
    B -- Pain --> P["Pain Management"]
    B -- Digestive --> D["Digestive Issues"]
    B -- Respiratory/Allergy --> R["Respiratory/Allergy"]
    B -- Infection --> I["Infection Treatment"]
    P --> P1{"Pain Location/Type"}
    P1 -- Headache/Fever --> PH["Headache Protocol"]
    P1 -- Muscle Pain --> PM["Muscle Protocol"]
    P1 -- Joint/Inflammation --> PJ["Joint Protocol"]
    P1 -- Menstrual --> PW["Menstrual Protocol"]
    PH --> PHC{"Check Conditions"}
    PHC -- Liver Problems --> PH1["Check:
    - Yellow eyes/skin
    - Dark urine
    - Right upper pain
    SAFE:
    - Paracetamol 500-1000mg only"]
    PHC -- Heart Disease --> PH2["Check:
    - BP & oxygen levels
    - Chest pain
    - Irregular heartbeat
    SAFE:
    - Paracetamol 500-1000mg
    - Low-dose aspirin only"]
    PHC -- Neither --> PH3["OPTIONS:
    - Paracetamol 500-1000mg
    - Ibuprofen 400mg
    - Naproxen 250-500mg
    - Aspirin 300-900mg
    - Celecoxib"]
    PM --> PMC{"Check Conditions"}
    PMC -- Glaucoma --> PM1["Check:
    - Eye pressure
    - Vision changes
    - Halos around lights
    SAFE:
    - Paracetamol
    - NSAIDs"]
    PMC -- Elderly --> PM2["Check:
    - Balance issues
    - Joint stability
    - Recovery time
    USE WITH CAUTION:
    - Orphenadrine 100mg
    - Eperisone 50mg
    - Low-dose muscle relaxants"]
    PMC -- Neither --> PM3["OPTIONS:
    - Orphenadrine 100mg
    - Eperisone 50mg
    - Methocarbamol 500-750mg
    - Myonal"]
    PJ --> PJC{"Check Conditions"}
    PJC -- Ulcers --> PJ1["Check:
    - Stomach pain
    - Black stools
    - Loss of appetite
    CONSULT DOCTOR"]
    PJC -- Heart Disease --> PJ2["Check:
    - BP & heart rate
    - Chest pain
    SAFE:
    - Paracetamol"]
    PJC -- Neither --> PJ3["OPTIONS:
    - Naproxen
    - Celecoxib
    - Mefenamic Acid"]
    D --> D1{"Specific Issue"}
    D1 -- Acid/Heartburn --> DH["Acid Protocol"]
    D1 -- Nausea/Vomiting --> DN["Nausea Protocol"]
    D1 -- Diarrhea --> DD["Diarrhea Protocol"]
    D1 -- Gas/Bloating --> DG["Gas Protocol"]
    D1 -- Spasms --> DS["Spasm Protocol"]
    DH --> DHC{"Check Conditions"}
    DHC -- Osteoporosis Risk --> DH1["Check:
    - Bone density history
    SHORT TERM:
    - Antacids
    - H2 blockers"]
    DHC -- Kidney Problems --> DH2["Check:
    - Urine color/frequency
    - Lower back pain
    - Swelling
    AVOID:
    - Aluminum antacids
    - High-dose PPIs"]
    DHC -- Neither --> DH3["OPTIONS:
    - Omeprazole 20mg
    - Esomeprazole
    - Rabeprazole
    - Famotidine 20mg
    - Calcium carbonate
    - Magnesium hydroxide"]
    R --> R1{"Specific Issue"}
    R1 -- Allergies --> RA["Allergy Protocol"]
    R1 -- Asthma --> RAS["Asthma Protocol"]
    R1 -- Congestion --> RC["Congestion Protocol"]
    R1 -- Motion Sickness --> RM["Motion Protocol"]
    RA --> RAC{"Check Conditions"}
    RAC -- Driving --> RA1["Check:
    - Alertness needed
    SAFE:
    - Loratadine 10mg
    - Cetirizine 10mg
    AVOID:
    - Diphenhydramine
    - Chlorpheniramine"]
    RAC -- Liver Problems --> RA2["Check:
    - Liver function tests
    USE:
    - Levocetirizine"]
    RAC -- Neither --> RA3["OPTIONS:
    - Loratadine 10mg
    - Cetirizine 10mg
    - Levocetirizine
    - Diphenhydramine 25mg
    - Chlorpheniramine 4mg"]
    I --> I1{"Infection Type"}
    I1 -- Bacterial --> IB["Bacterial Protocol"]
    I1 -- Fungal --> IF["Fungal Protocol"]
    I1 -- Skin --> IS["Skin Protocol"]
    IB --> IBC{"Check Conditions"}
    IBC -- Penicillin Allergy --> IB1["OPTIONS:
    - Azithromycin 500mg
    - Clarithromycin 500mg
    - Doxycycline 100mg"]
    IBC -- Pregnancy --> IB2["Check:
    - Pregnancy stage
    - BP changes
    SAFE:
    - Amoxicillin
    - Cephalexin
    AVOID:
    - Tetracyclines
    - Fluoroquinolones"]
    IBC -- Neither --> IB3["OPTIONS:
    - Enhancin
    - Norfloxacin
    - Azithromycin 500mg
    - Amoxicillin 500mg
    - Cephalexin 500mg"]
    PW --> PWC{"Check Conditions"}
    PWC -- Pregnant --> PW1["Check:
    - BP changes
    - Unusual pain
    - Swelling
    CONSULT DOCTOR"]
    PWC -- Bleeding Disorder --> PW2["Check:
    - Bleeding severity
    - Clotting time
    - Anemia signs
    SAFE:
    - Paracetamol 500-1000mg"]
    PWC -- Neither --> PW3["OPTIONS:
    - Mefenamic Acid 500mg
    - Tranexamic Acid 500mg
    - Ibuprofen 400mg
    Monitor:
    - Flow intensity
    - Pain levels
    - Side effects"]
    DD --> DDC{"Bacterial Infection?"}
    DDC -- Yes --> DD1["Check:
    - Fever presence
    - Blood in stool
    - Severe cramping
    CONSULT DOCTOR"]
    DDC -- No --> DD2["Check:
    - Stool consistency
    - Dehydration signs
    - Duration
    USE:
    - Loperamide 2mg
    - Oral rehydration
    MONITOR:
    - Fluid intake
    - Electrolyte balance
    - Frequency of stools"]
    DN --> DNC{"Check Conditions"}
    DNC -- Heart Problems --> DN1["Check:
    - BP & heart rate
    - Chest pain
    - Dizziness
    CONSULT DOCTOR"]
    DNC -- Parkinson's --> DN2["Check:
    - Motor symptoms
    - Balance issues
    USE WITH CAUTION:
    - Domperidone 10mg
    Monitor:
    - Motor function
    - Side effects"]
    DNC -- Neither --> DN3["OPTIONS:
    - Domperidone 10mg
    - Prochlorperazine 5mg
    - Ondansetron 4-8mg
    Monitor:
    - Frequency of nausea
    - Hydration status
    - Dietary triggers"]
    DG --> DGC{"Associated Symptoms?"}
    DGC -- With Pain --> DG1["Check:
    - Bloating severity
    - Pain location
    - Dietary triggers
    USE:
    - Simeticone 40mg
    - Antispasmodics"]
    DGC -- Without Pain --> DG2["Check:
    - Frequency
    - Dietary patterns
    USE:
    - Simeticone 40mg
    LIFESTYLE:
    - Dietary modifications
    - Eating habits review"]
    DS --> DSC{"Check Conditions"}
    DSC -- Glaucoma/Prostate Problems --> DS1["Check:
    - Eye pressure
    - Urination patterns
    - Vision changes
    CONSULT DOCTOR"]
    DSC -- Neither --> DS2["Check:
    - Spasm location
    - Trigger factors
    - Pain intensity
    USE:
    - Hyoscine Butylbromide 10mg
    - Dicyclomine 10mg
    MONITOR:
    - Response time
    - Side effects
    - Pattern of spasms"]
    RAS --> RASC{"Depression?"}
    RASC -- Yes --> RAS1["Check:
    - Mood changes
    - Sleep patterns
    - Breathing difficulties
    CONSULT DOCTOR"]
    RASC -- No --> RAS2["Check:
    - Peak flow readings
    - O2 saturation
    - Trigger factors
    USE:
    - Montelukast 10mg
    - Salbutamol inhaler prn
    - Maintenance inhalers
    MONITOR:
    - Peak flow readings
    - Symptom diary
    - Exercise tolerance"]
    RC --> RCC{"Check Conditions"}
    RCC -- Peptic Ulcer --> RC1["Check:
    - Stomach pain
    - Acid reflux
    - Bleeding signs
    CONSULT DOCTOR"]
    RCC -- No --> RC2["Check:
    - Congestion type
    - Breathing rate
    - O2 levels
    USE:
    - Bromhexine 8mg
    - Pseudoephedrine 60mg
    - Saline nasal spray
    MONITOR:
    - Breathing ease
    - Mucus color
    - Sleep quality"]
    RM --> RMC{"Check Conditions"}
    RMC -- Glaucoma --> RM1["Check:
    - Eye pressure
    - Vision changes
    CONSULT DOCTOR"]
    RMC -- No --> RM2["Check:
    - Travel duration
    - Previous reactions
    - Alertness needs
    USE:
    - Dimenhydrinate 50mg
    - Meclizine 25mg
    TIMING:
    - Take 30-60 min before travel
    MONITOR:
    - Drowsiness
    - Effectiveness
    - Side effects"]
    IF --> IFC{"Check Conditions"}
    IFC -- Pregnancy --> IF1["Check:
    - Pregnancy stage
    - Infection location
    - Severity
    CONSULT DOCTOR"]
    IFC -- No --> IF2["Check:
    - Infection type
    - Location
    - Previous treatments
    USE:
    - Fluconazole 150mg
    - Topical antifungals
    - Ketoconazole 2%
    MONITOR:
    - Spread of infection
    - Healing progress
    - Side effects"]
    IS --> ISC{"Check Conditions"}
    ISC -- Open Wounds --> IS1["Check:
    - Wound depth
    - Signs of infection
    - Healing stage
    CONSULT DOCTOR"]
    ISC -- No --> IS2["Check:
    - Affected area
    - Skin changes
    - Allergic reactions
    USE:
    - Quinodochlor cream
    - Mupirocin 2%
    - Antihistamine if needed
    MONITOR:
    - Skin response
    - Healing progress
    - Side effects
    - Spreading/regression"]
    PH1 --> M["Monitor Response"]
    PH2 --> M
    PH3 --> M
    PM1 --> M
    PM2 --> M
    PM3 --> M
    PJ2 --> M
    PJ3 --> M
    DH1 --> M
    DH2 --> M
    DH3 --> M
    RA1 --> M
    RA2 --> M
    RA3 --> M
    IB1 --> M
    IB2 --> M
    IB3 --> M
    M --> ME{"Effective?"}
    ME -- Yes --> MC["Continue as Prescribed:
    - Complete course
    - Monitor side effects
    - Follow up as needed"]
    ME -- No --> MD["Consult Doctor:
    - Bring symptom diary
    - List tried medications
    - Report side effects"]
[/mermaid]

With the power of AI, you can save your personal time and create a repeatable, reliable, time-saving system or workflow for yourself. I can definitely create a chatbot to answer me for my personal use, but the flowchart serves me better.

In the next part, I will come with a chatbot that can traverse this flowchart.

Whether AI can reduce Medicare costs, it’s an evolving trend, but there’s definitely hope. With strong support and guardrails, it will be possible to ease some of Medicare’s costs and reduce the fiscal deficit of various countries.

In countries and regions where doctors are not available, these kinds of tools can become lifesavers.

NOTE: I still suggest visiting a doctor. In fact, my flowchart advises me to go to the doctor if it’s serious. In either case, you can consult an online doctor and be better prepared to answer your symptoms, which can help you as well as the doctor.

BABU PRIYAVRAT

Can AI reduce overall Medicare Cost?

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Can AI reduce overall Medicare Cost?

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