BACKGROUND
Chatbots, or "conversational agents," have emerged as significant tools in healthcare, driven by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technology. These programs are designed to simulate human-like conversations, addressing various healthcare needs. However, no comprehensive synthesis of healthcare chatbots’ roles, users, benefits and limitations is available to inform future research and application in the field.
OBJECTIVE
This review aims to describe healthcare chatbots’ characteristics, focusing on their diverse roles in the healthcare 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 and/or benefits in healthcare 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 two themes: 'Delivery of remote health services'—including patient support, care management, education, skills-building, health behavior promotion—and 'Provision of administrative assistance to healthcare providers'. User groups spanned across chronic and cancer patients, individuals focused on lifestyle improvements, and various demographic groups such as women, families, and the elderly. Professionals and students in healthcare also emerged as significant users, alongside groups seeking mental health, behavioral change, and educational enhancement. Benefits of healthcare chatbots were classified into themes of 'Improvement of healthcare quality' and 'Efficiency and cost-effectiveness in healthcare delivery'. Identified limitations encompassed ethical challenges, medico-legal and safety concerns, technical difficulties, user experience issues, and societal and economic impacts.
CONCLUSIONS
Healthcare chatbots offer a wide spectrum of applications, potentially impacting various aspects of healthcare. While they are promising tools for improving healthcare efficiency and quality, their integration into the healthcare system must be approached with consideration of their limitations to ensure optimal, safe, and equitable use.