Impact of a Symptom Checker App on Patient-Physician Interaction Among Self-Referred Walk-In Patients in the Emergency Department: Multicenter, Parallel-Group, Randomized, Controlled Trial

Background

Symptom checker apps (SCAs) help patients decide if they need medical care and what kind of care to seek. Previous studies focused mainly on how accurate and user-friendly these apps are. However, there has been little research on how these apps affect the quality of care, especially the interaction between patients and doctors.

Objective

This study aimed to see how using an SCA impacts patient satisfaction with their interactions with doctors in emergency care settings. We also looked at how it affects patients’ anxiety and trust in their doctors.

Methods

We conducted a randomized controlled trial in two emergency departments in Berlin, Germany. Patients with less severe health issues were randomly assigned to either use an SCA (Ada Health) before seeing a doctor or receive standard care. We measured patient satisfaction using a questionnaire and also evaluated anxiety levels and doctors’ satisfaction.

Results

From April 2022 to January 2023, we contacted 665 patients, and 363 participated in the study. Satisfaction scores were similar between both groups. There were no significant differences in satisfaction with care or anxiety levels. However, many patients felt the SCA had a positive impact on their interaction with doctors. Most doctors also found the SCA either helpful or neutral during patient encounters.

Conclusions

The study found no significant improvement in patient satisfaction using the SCA in emergency settings. However, both patients and doctors reported a generally positive experience with the app. Importantly, we did not find the negative effects often mentioned in other studies, such as increased anxiety or reduced trust in healthcare professionals.

Opportunities for Improvement

Based on the trial data, clinics can:

Define Measurable Outcomes: Set clear goals to assess the impact of SCAs on patient-physician interactions.
Select AI Tools: Choose AI solutions that are tailored to specific clinical needs.
Implement Step by Step: Start with pilot projects to track the effectiveness of AI solutions in real-world settings.