PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
BACKGROUND: Chatbots, or conversational agents, have emerged as significant tools in health care, driven by advancements in artificial intelligence and digital technology. These programs are designed to simulate human conversations, addressing various health care needs. However, no comprehensive synthesis of health care chatbots\' roles, users, benefits, and limitations is available to inform future research and application in the field.
OBJECTIVE: This review aims to describe health care chatbots\' characteristics, focusing on their diverse roles in the health care pathway, user groups, benefits, and limitations.
METHODS: A rapid review of published literature from 2017 to 2023 was performed with a search strategy developed in collaboration with a health sciences librarian and implemented in the MEDLINE and Embase databases. Primary research studies reporting on chatbot roles or benefits in health care were included. Two reviewers dual-screened the search results. Extracted data on chatbot roles, users, benefits, and limitations were subjected to content analysis.
RESULTS: The review categorized chatbot roles into 2 themes: delivery of remote health services, including patient support, care management, education, skills building, and health behavior promotion, and provision of administrative assistance to health care providers. User groups spanned across patients with chronic conditions as well as patients with cancer; individuals focused on lifestyle improvements; and various demographic groups such as women, families, and older adults. Professionals and students in health care also emerged as significant users, alongside groups seeking mental health support, behavioral change, and educational enhancement. The benefits of health care chatbots were also classified into 2 themes: improvement of health care quality and efficiency and cost-effectiveness in health care delivery. The identified limitations encompassed ethical challenges, medicolegal and safety concerns, technical difficulties, user experience issues, and societal and economic impacts.
CONCLUSIONS: Health care chatbots offer a wide spectrum of applications, potentially impacting various aspects of health care. While they are promising tools for improving health care efficiency and quality, their integration into the health care system must be approached with consideration of their limitations to ensure optimal, safe, and equitable use.
OBJECTIVE: This review aims to describe health care chatbots\' characteristics, focusing on their diverse roles in the health care pathway, user groups, benefits, and limitations.
METHODS: A rapid review of published literature from 2017 to 2023 was performed with a search strategy developed in collaboration with a health sciences librarian and implemented in the MEDLINE and Embase databases. Primary research studies reporting on chatbot roles or benefits in health care were included. Two reviewers dual-screened the search results. Extracted data on chatbot roles, users, benefits, and limitations were subjected to content analysis.
RESULTS: The review categorized chatbot roles into 2 themes: delivery of remote health services, including patient support, care management, education, skills building, and health behavior promotion, and provision of administrative assistance to health care providers. User groups spanned across patients with chronic conditions as well as patients with cancer; individuals focused on lifestyle improvements; and various demographic groups such as women, families, and older adults. Professionals and students in health care also emerged as significant users, alongside groups seeking mental health support, behavioral change, and educational enhancement. The benefits of health care chatbots were also classified into 2 themes: improvement of health care quality and efficiency and cost-effectiveness in health care delivery. The identified limitations encompassed ethical challenges, medicolegal and safety concerns, technical difficulties, user experience issues, and societal and economic impacts.
CONCLUSIONS: Health care chatbots offer a wide spectrum of applications, potentially impacting various aspects of health care. While they are promising tools for improving health care efficiency and quality, their integration into the health care system must be approached with consideration of their limitations to ensure optimal, safe, and equitable use.
摘要：
背景：聊天机器人，或者对话代理，已经成为医疗保健的重要工具，在人工智能和数字技术进步的推动下。这些程序旨在模拟人类对话，满足各种医疗保健需求。然而,没有医疗保健聊天机器人角色的全面综合，用户,好处,和限制是可用的，以告知未来的研究和应用领域。
目的：这篇综述旨在描述医疗保健聊天机器人的特征，专注于他们在医疗保健途径中的不同角色，用户组,好处,和限制。
方法：通过与健康科学图书馆员合作开发并在MEDLINE和Embase数据库中实施的搜索策略，对2017年至2023年已发表的文献进行了快速审查。包括报告聊天机器人角色或医疗保健益处的主要研究研究。两名审阅者对搜索结果进行双重筛选。提取了聊天机器人角色的数据，用户,好处,和局限性进行了内容分析。
结果：评论将聊天机器人角色分为两个主题：提供远程医疗服务，包括患者支持,护理管理，教育,技能建设,和健康行为促进，并向卫生保健提供者提供行政援助。用户群体跨越慢性病患者和癌症患者;个人专注于生活方式的改善;以及各种人口群体，如女性，家庭,和老年人。医疗保健专业人员和学生也成为重要的用户，与寻求心理健康支持的团体一起，行为改变，和教育增强。医疗保健聊天机器人的好处也分为两个主题：提高医疗保健质量和效率以及医疗保健服务的成本效益。确定的限制包括道德挑战，法医学和安全问题，技术难题,用户体验问题，以及社会和经济影响。
结论：医疗保健聊天机器人提供了广泛的应用，可能影响医疗保健的各个方面。虽然它们是提高医疗保健效率和质量的有前途的工具，必须考虑到他们的局限性，以确保最佳状态，安全,公平使用。
目的：这篇综述旨在描述医疗保健聊天机器人的特征，专注于他们在医疗保健途径中的不同角色，用户组,好处,和限制。
方法：通过与健康科学图书馆员合作开发并在MEDLINE和Embase数据库中实施的搜索策略，对2017年至2023年已发表的文献进行了快速审查。包括报告聊天机器人角色或医疗保健益处的主要研究研究。两名审阅者对搜索结果进行双重筛选。提取了聊天机器人角色的数据，用户,好处,和局限性进行了内容分析。
结果：评论将聊天机器人角色分为两个主题：提供远程医疗服务，包括患者支持,护理管理，教育,技能建设,和健康行为促进，并向卫生保健提供者提供行政援助。用户群体跨越慢性病患者和癌症患者;个人专注于生活方式的改善;以及各种人口群体，如女性，家庭,和老年人。医疗保健专业人员和学生也成为重要的用户，与寻求心理健康支持的团体一起，行为改变，和教育增强。医疗保健聊天机器人的好处也分为两个主题：提高医疗保健质量和效率以及医疗保健服务的成本效益。确定的限制包括道德挑战，法医学和安全问题，技术难题,用户体验问题，以及社会和经济影响。
结论：医疗保健聊天机器人提供了广泛的应用，可能影响医疗保健的各个方面。虽然它们是提高医疗保健效率和质量的有前途的工具，必须考虑到他们的局限性，以确保最佳状态，安全,公平使用。
