Improvement in medical consultation by using an AI-powered symptom assessment application (SAA)

INTRODUCTION: The shortage of healthcare workers affects countries worldwide and primarily affects people in rural areas. Although Romania trains a high number of physicians, the absence of effective retention and motivation policies leads many of them to opt for higher-paying jobs in other countries. As a result, patients experience long travel and wait times. Our study assessed if using an AI-powered SAA, Ada, in a waiting room is feasible for patients, can improve consultation efficiency, and enhance patient-physician communication. METHODS: This study was conducted in the waiting room of a GP in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, from May to July 2022. Consenting patients completed a symptom assessment while waiting for their consultation. A survey was administered to patients, the study nurse, and physician to gather feedback on their experience. RESULTS: The study enrolled 49 patients (29 women, 20 men). Most of the patients found the questions in Ada to be of appropriate length (94%), understandable (90%), and engaging (86%). Patients using Ada felt that they could express all their health issues (79%) and explain their symptoms better to the doctor (84%). They also felt more confident to discuss symptoms that their doctor may have missed (86%) and would use Ada again (84%). Most patients completed the assessment independently (65%). The study physician reported that 70% of patients who used Ada answered questions quickly and asked more questions related to their symptoms. DISCUSSION: By providing personalized health information, Ada prepared patients for their consultation, resulting in improved patient engagement and facilitation of clinical conversation. Incorporating a SAA into routine patient care has the potential to enhance the quality of medical care and reduce consultation time, thus, compensating for physician shortages. Further studies to determine the efficacy of integrating SAA with telemedicine can further help tackle the issue of uneven health workforce distribution. KEY MESSAGES: • Patients found Ada, a mobile AI-powered symptom assessment application, easy to use, understandable, and would use it again. The app helped prepare patients for their doctor’s consultation. • Doctors reported increased patient engagement in consultation among users of Ada. These apps can help save time when used by patients in the waiting room and the results are shared with the doctors.