The Pros and Cons of Symptom Checkers

Around 63% of the world’s population uses the Internet. This has increased as smartphones and social media have become more popular. These technologies make it so easy to access all kinds of information, including health information.

Each year, 80% of patients use the internet for a health-related search. This makes it convenient for someone to self-diagnose a concerning feeling they might have. After all, it’s faster and cheaper to Google our symptoms than it is to go to the doctor. And with the development of symptom checkers, it’s even easier.

While this is sometimes convenient, self-diagnosing with a symptom checker isn’t always safe.

LINKS:
____________________________________________

____________________________________________

It’s important to understand why people use symptom checkers. Like I already mentioned, it’s so much easier to look up symptoms online than go to the doctor. Many people actually try to avoid the doctor because of their busy schedules. This is especially true for younger generations who grew up with this technology.

They prefer having health information right at their fingertips. In fact, they prefer it so much that 45% of them don’t even have a primary care physician. Adults ages 18 to 29 use health apps to self-diagnose more than any other age group. Almost 16% of people who use symptom checkers are using them to get information without needing to see a doctor. 84% of people using these checkers see them as a diagnostic tool. And 76% said that they provided insight to help them get closer to a diagnosis.

Another reason why people like to use symptom checkers instead of seeing their doctor is because it saves money. Most people don’t want to waste time for an appointment if they don’t need to.

This also means an unnecessary cost from a visit that solved nothing. Symptom checkers cause some people to rule out needing a doctor visit, which ends up saving money. In fact, these tools can lead to a 5% reduction rate in general practitioner visits. This would save over 9.5 billion dollars.

There are people who still see a doctor even after using these tools. The apps aren’t just a way for people to self-diagnose, but they’re also an educational tool.

Symptom checkers include information about conditions so patients are more educated before seeing a doctor. Or, the apps suggest that a patient seek immediate medical help. This encourages patients to see a doctor, even if they were originally reluctant to do so.

Now, the danger with only using symptom checkers is that they aren’t always accurate. They give appropriate triage advice in 57% of standardized patient evaluations. Triage refers to the level of emergency such as urgent care, non-emergent care, or self-care. In two-thirds of evaluations where medical attention was not necessary, these checkers encouraged getting care.

Sure, it’s better to be safe than sorry. But it makes people frustrated when they spend time and money on a service they didn’t need. This could make them less likely to go the next time they’re experiencing a concerning symptom. These tools also list the correct diagnoses first in only 34% of cases.

They correctly list it in the top three for 51% of cases, and in the top 20 for 58% of cases. This can cause patients stress thinking that they have more serious conditions. Or on the other hand, they might downplay the seriousness. Receiving a diagnosis from a doctor is much more accurate - between 85% to 90%.

Technology makes it so easy to access information, but this isn’t always the best when it comes to healthcare. People take advantage of medical information online and try to use it to self-diagnose. There are even apps specifically designed for checking your symptoms.

While it sounds convenient and might save you time or money, it can also lead to avoiding necessary care. If you have a real health concern, you should always consult your doctor.

#SymptomChecker #SymptomCheck