JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

In recent years, there has been an increase in the use of conversational agents for health promotion and service delivery. To date, the views of health professionals on this topic have received limited attention in the literature.

Objective:

The purpose of this study was to learn more about how health professionals view the use of conversational agents for health care.

Methods:

Physicians, nurses, and regulated mental health professionals were recruited using various online methods. Participants were interviewed individually using Zoom video conferencing software. Interview questions focused on benefits and risks surrounding the use of conversational agents for health care, as well as the best way to integrate conversational agents into the health care system. Participants were also asked about the depiction of conversational agents as health professionals. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and uploaded to NVivo software for coding and thematic analysis.

Results:

Twenty-four participants completed the study (19 women, five men; M age = 42.75 years, SD = 10.71). Participants said that the use of conversational agents for health care could have certain benefits, such as greater access to care for patients/clients and workload support for health professionals. They also discussed potential drawbacks, such as an added burden on health professionals (e.g., answering patient/client questions) and the limited capabilities of these programs. Participants said that conversational agents could be used for routine tasks, such as providing information and education and assisting with screening and assessment. They also said that there should be some oversight of these programs from health professionals and government. Participants were divided on the depiction of conversational agents as health professionals. Many participants were opposed to these depictions, insisting that they are a form of misrepresentation. However, some participants did think that these depictions could help to reassure patients/clients.

Conclusions:

The results of this study provide insight into potential benefits and drawbacks surrounding the use of conversational agents for health care, as well as guidance on how this technology might be best integrated into the health care system. Notably, this insight comes from people who are working within the health care system and are uniquely qualified to comment on the practical implementation of this technology.