Accepted for/Published in: Journal of Medical Internet Research
Date Submitted: Jun 27, 2019
Date Accepted: Mar 31, 2020
Physicians’ perception of the use of a chatbot for information seeking: a qualitative study
ABSTRACT
Background:
Technologies are increasingly used in modern medicine. In particular, conversational agents, which mobilize Artificial Intelligence, are rousing health professionals’ interest. In the specific context of medical practice, conversational agents are hypothesized to present additional value, particularly as far as drug risk minimization measures are concerned.
Objective:
This qualitative market research aimed to describe the acceptability and usefulness of a pilot version of a conversational agent used in the context of drug risk minimization measures.
Methods:
General practitioners and specialists were recruited across France to participate in semi-structured individual interviews. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analyzed using a horizontal thematic analysis approach.
Results:
Eight general practitioners and two specialists participated. Six of them had never used a conversational agent before, but had already used other digital health tools. The tone and ergonomics of the pilot version were appreciated by medical practitioners. However, all participants emphasized the importance of getting exhaustive, trustworthy answers when interacting with a conversational agent. Seven participants declared they would use this tool during a consultation.
Conclusions:
The conversational agent was perceived as a useful and innovative tool that could easily be integrated into routine medical practice and could help health professionals in the implementation of drug risk minimization measures.
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Copyright
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