OpenAI just did what any smart company does when things get legally dicey: they updated their terms and conditions. ChatGPT can still answer health questions, but the company’s new usage policies draw a much clearer line around liability. Translation? They really, REALLY don’t want to get sued when someone takes AI medical advice and things go sideways.
And things have been going sideways. As more people treat ChatGPT like their own personal MD, some pretty disastrous cases are popping up. OpenAI noticed, panicked slightly and rolled out stricter policies.
What Actually Changed
ChatGPT still answers health questions — it just does it with more disclaimers than a pharmaceutical commercial. The AI can discuss symptoms, conditions and general health info, but OpenAI’s new policies make it crystal clear they’re not responsible if you decide to treat your chest pain with essential oils because a chatbot said it might help with stress.
The policy update is OpenAI’s way of saying “We’ll answer your questions, but please for the love of all that’s holy, talk to an actual doctor.” And when people finally take that advice? They’re searching locally.
From AI Chat to “Find a Doctor Near Me” in 3.5 Seconds
So let’s say someone asks ChatGPT about their persistent headaches. The AI gives general information but can’t examine them, can’t order tests and definitely can’t prescribe anything. So what does that person do next?
They Google “neurologist near me” or “headache specialist [their city].” They’re not looking for the best neurologist in the entire country — they’re looking for someone they can actually go see this week, preferably within a reasonable drive.
This is where local search goes from nice to have to patients in your waiting room. And if your practice isn’t optimized for local visibility, you’re invisible at the exact moment people are ready to book.
Why Your Google Business Profile Suddenly Matters Way More
OpenAI’s liability freakout is accelerating a trend that was already happening: People research health questions online, then look for local providers to actually treat them. The difference now is that AI limitations are making the jump from research to local search happen faster and more frequently.
When someone searches for healthcare providers in their area, Google doesn’t show them the practice with the fanciest website or the biggest billboard. It shows them the practices with optimized Google Business Profiles, consistent NAP (name, address, phone) citations, good reviews and proper local SEO signals.
If your practice isn’t showing up in the local pack — those top three results with the map — you basically don’t exist to ready-to-book patients.
How to Dominate Local Search
“How can healthcare businesses prepare and what actions can they take?
In my opinion, there are two key things that really matter:
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show the system clear signals of your local presence, and
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show the system that you have what users are looking for.
This translates into tactics like increasing mentions of your company across local websites and media and optimizing and actively managing your Google Business Profile.
It also means presenting your services and capabilities not only in professional medical language, but also in the way real people search and talk. That means using short, clear and easy-to-understand sentences, answering common user questions and making sure your website highlights the information patients actually care about.” — Helen Voskoboinik, Head of Product at Netpeak Agency
Netpeak’s GEO Services: Because “Near Me” Searches Don’t Answer Themselves
This is literally what we do. Netpeak specializes in getting healthcare practices to show up exactly when and where local patients are searching:
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Google Business Profile optimization that makes your practice impossible to miss in local search results
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Local citation building across healthcare directories, review sites and local listings
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Geo-targeted content strategy that ranks for “[condition] treatment in [your city]” searches
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Review management that turns your best patients into your most powerful local marketing asset
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Local link building from community organizations, local health resources and relevant regional sites
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Multi-location GEO if you’ve got multiple offices (because each location needs its own local dominance strategy)
ChatGPT can tell people about symptoms all day long, but it can’t make an appointment, accept insurance or actually be located in someone’s neighborhood. That’s your advantage — and local search is how you leverage it.
Ready to own your local search results? Let’s make sure every “doctor near me” search in your area leads straight to you.
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