Implementing Medical Chatbots: An Application on Hidradenitis Suppurativa.

Area of Science:

• Consumer health informatics
• Artificial intelligence in healthcare
• Digital health resources

Background:

• Digital health resources are increasingly used for self-evaluation, but research on consumer health informatics platforms remains limited.
• AI-powered chatbots offer a promising avenue for improving access to specific health information.
• Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a debilitating condition with a high barrier to seeking professional medical consultation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine essential principles for developing medical chatbots by analyzing user interaction data.
• To understand user needs and behaviors when interacting with a specialized HS chatbot.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of usage data from the HS Chatbot, a question-and-answer platform.
• Statistical analysis of 254 responses collected over one year.
• Evaluation of user engagement metrics, including clicks per visit.

Main Results:

• The study identified 239 users as potential HS patients, with 82.9% seeking a preliminary diagnosis.
• Users were primarily young adults (average age 32.49 years) and predominantly female (70.2%).
• Average user engagement involved 14.69 clicks per visit, indicating a need for efficient information retrieval.

Conclusions:

• Effective medical chatbots require subject-specific customization alongside general design principles.
• Accessible, high-quality information must be readily available within a few clicks to meet user expectations.
• Individuals concerned about HS frequently seek online diagnoses and may not have consulted a healthcare provider, highlighting the need for clear guidance towards appropriate care.