Doctronic, The Future of Health?

Welcome Back!

    Over the quick break from writing blogs, I have gotten the annual cold that happens every time we get into the colder seasons. And what better way to segway into this blog topic than using the topic practically! Today's blog will discuss the functionality of AI chatbots for health and Diagnosis. 

    The Chatbot for today's blog is called "Doctronic". A free and private health chatbot that has over 3 million chats used to help diagnose people across the globe! Doctronic can also help you schedule an appointment with a local doctor for you! So let's dive into my experience with Doctronic

    In the beginning, it asks me basic questions, like age, gender, and whether I want to use the service to help diagnose an issue, or to discuss an issue I already have been diagnosed with. This can help the AI narrow down its possible outcomes for me. Since I chose it to diagnose a health issue or symptoms I have, it told me that it has a series of 9 questions for me.

What issue or symptom is bothering you?

    I have deep nasal congestion, as well as one of my ears feeling full of fluid. I also have a sore throat and headaches. 

When did your symptoms begin for you? and how did your symptoms progress over time?

    It all started with a headache 3 nights ago, when I woke up the next day I had severe congestion and a sore throat. This morning when I woke up my ear hurt and had fluid build up.

Could you describe the severity of your nasal congestion and whether anything makes it better or worse?

    When breathing, I notice one of my nostrils is fully congested, and the other nostril is only slightly congested. It is slightly relieved when taking DayQuil products. 

Could you also describe your sore throat in detail? Such as intensity, location, and if any factors make it better or worse?

    My sore throat is located on the back of my throat in line with my Adam's Apple, and the intensity of the pain only makes it noticeable while eating. I notice that warm liquids help ease the pain slightly, and throat drops also ease the pain. 

Could you now describe the headache you mentioned? Location and intensity.

    My headache starts on the sides of my neck and makes its way to the front of my head, similar to how stress headaches work. I can also feel some unease in my eyes with my headache as if my eyes want to close shut. 

Let's talk about the ear fullness you're experiencing. could you describe its details?

    My right ear feels like I accidentally got water in it, even though I know I haven't got water trapped in there. When I fell asleep I noticed it hurt slightly, but when I woke up it felt full of liquid. I haven't found anything to help ease the pain or sensation. 

Next, let's go over past history. Have you had any significant illnesses, injuries, or surgeries?

    The only significant surgeries I have had are having tubes placed in my ears to prevent ear infections. But now that I am too old for the procedure I haven't had tubes in a while. This is the first time having this sensation in my ears in a long time. 

Any changes in medication? Are you up to date with vaccinations, check-ups, and other practices?

    No changes in medication, and I am up to date on all vaccines, check-ups, and other practices.

Do you consume alcohol, use tobacco, or any recreational drugs?

    No, I do not.

The Doctronic Results:

After the questions asked by the Doctronic, the AI came up with a differential health discovery, as well as a plan of action that I can take. 

Doctronic Diagnosis:

1. Acute Sinusitis - 40% likelihood

2. Allergic Rhinitis - 25% likelihood

3. Eustachian Tube Dysfunction - 20% likelihood

4. Pharyngitis (viral or bacterial) - 15% likelihood

Recommended to take Pseudoephedrine 

Doctor Visit Results:

Diagnosed with Acute Sinusitis, and the doctor suggested taking Sudafed. 

Breakdown:

Comparing the two we can see that they both came up with the same results! But Doctronic came up with a few other options to cover a broader category of illnesses. From a Healthcare quality perspective, the accuracy for Doctronic in my case was very accurate in comparison to the diagnosis from my local health center. Not only that, but the Linguistic perspective was also great! For example, after giving an answer, Doctronic would reply with an empathetic response (Even though AI can't be empathetic, it helps people who need it), to make it seem more personable and human.

Overall I highly recommend Doctronic. It is very easy to use and so far has given me tons of information for my current illness. So off to the Pharmacy, I go!.