Abstract
BackgroundConversational agents (also known as chatbots) have evolved in recent decades to become multimodal, multifunctional platforms with potential to automate a diverse range of health-related activities supporting the general public, patients, and physicians. Multiple studies have reported the development of these agents, and recent systematic reviews have described the scope of use of conversational agents in health care. However, there is scarce research on the effectiveness of these systems; thus, their viability and applicability are unclear.ObjectiveThe objective of this systematic review is to assess the effectiveness of conversational agents in health care and to identify limitations, adverse events, and areas for future investigation of these agents.MethodsThe Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols will be used to structure this protocol. The focus of the systematic review is guided by a population, intervention, comparator, and outcome framework. A systematic search of the PubMed (Medline), EMBASE, CINAHL, and Web of Science databases will be conducted. Two authors will independently screen the titles and abstracts of the identified references and select studies according to the eligibility criteria. Any discrepancies will then be discussed and resolved. Two reviewers will independently extract and validate data from the included studies into a standardized form and conduct quality appraisal.ResultsAs of January 2020, we have begun a preliminary literature search and piloting of the study selection process.ConclusionsThis systematic review aims to clarify the effectiveness, limitations, and future applications of conversational agents in health care. Our findings may be useful to inform the future development of conversational agents and promote the personalization of patient care.International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)PRR1-10.2196/16934
Highlights
Digital technologies are driving transformation in the health sector and show promise in contributing to the resolution of major challenges facing health care systems worldwide, including the provision of personalized medicine, prevention of chronic conditions, care of an increasingly elderly population, and provision of health care to hard-to-reach populations
Intelligent digital platforms with a conversational user interface constitute a representative technology that has been investigated in these contexts [1,2,3,4]
Current agents are available via multiple digital platforms, including telephones, mobile phones, tablets, and computers, and in many virtual formats such as chatbots, embodied conversational agents, and three-dimensional avatars [2,7,8]
Summary
Digital technologies are driving transformation in the health sector and show promise in contributing to the resolution of major challenges facing health care systems worldwide, including the provision of personalized medicine, prevention of chronic conditions, care of an increasingly elderly population, and provision of health care to hard-to-reach populations. The widespread availability of the digital platforms through which these conversational agents operate enables populations with limited health provision or health literacy to access these services [14,17] These agents are helping to provide patient-centered care by increasing the patients’ involvement in their health care and decision making [2,17,18]. Multiple studies have reported the development of these agents, and recent systematic reviews have described the scope of use of conversational agents in health care. Objective: The objective of this systematic review is to assess the effectiveness of conversational agents in health care and to identify limitations, adverse events, and areas for future investigation of these agents.
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