Revolutionizing Medicine: Chatbots as Catalysts for Improved Diagnosis, Treatment, and Patient Support

Chatbots have emerged as one of the revolutionary tools in healthcare that combine artificial intelligence to improve patient engagement in diagnosis, treatment, monitoring, and support. In this review, the application of chatbots in medicine over the past two decades is discussed, focusing on their application in several aspects of medicine, including oncology, psychiatry, and chronic disease management. A total of 38 clinically relevant studies were identified from a comprehensive literature search. These studies demonstrate that the efficacy of chatbots in early symptom detection, personalized treatment planning, and emotional support has a particular emphasis on addressing mental health needs. The review focuses on the role of chatbots in improving the communication gap between patients and health providers to achieve improved access to medical information and treatment adherence. The findings underscore the substantial promise of chatbots in enhancing healthcare delivery and reveal areas that need further exploration, particularly in radiology and advanced diagnostics. With the continuous rise in technological development, the use of chatbots is expected to become more central in streamlining health processes toward better patient outcomes and enhanced health literacy. This review, therefore, calls for continued investment in the incorporation of these chatbot innovations in healthcare systems for their full potential to be realized in patient care.