ReviewJournal of medical Internet research2024
Roles, Users, Benefits, and Limitations of Chatbots in Health Care: Rapid Review.
Review in Journal of medical Internet research, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 122 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
122 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- The Relation Between eHealth Literacy and Online Health Information-Seeking Behavior: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Pooled it
- Speech-touch integration for affective human-robot interaction: a scoping review.Frontiers in robotics and AI · 2026Pooled it
- Community engagement, recruitment, and retention of minoritized participants in Alzheimer's disease and related dementia research: A systematic review of disparities.Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association · 2025Pooled it
- Telehealth Interventions in Pharmacy Practice: Systematic Review of Reviews and Recommendations.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Pooled it
- Chatbot-Delivered Real-Time Support to Improve HIV Self-Testing Rates: A Randomized Clinical Trial.JAMA network open · 2025Trial
- Large language models could be applied in personalized out-of-hospital management for breast cancer: a prospective randomized single blind study.Scientific reports · 2025Trial
- Bridging Technology and Pretest Genetic Services: Quantitative Study of Chatbot Interaction Patterns, User Characteristics, and Genetic Testing Decisions.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Trial
- Impact of Oral Health Chatbot With and Without Toothbrushing Training on Childhood Caries.International dental journal · 2025Trial
- The Usability and Experience of Artificial Intelligence-Based Conversational Agents in Health Education for Cancer Patients: A Scoping Review.Journal of clinical nursing · 2026Article
- An Evidence-Based AI Virtual Assistant for Young People With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Co-Design and Prototype Development.JMIR formative research · 2026Article
- Artificial Intelligence in Patient Education: ChatGPT for Penile Prosthesis Surgery Counseling, a Likert Scale Analysis.Andrology · 2026Article
- Iterative Multidisciplinary Development and Evaluation of a Patient-Facing Social Determinants of Health Chatbot Using Synthetic Data Simulation: Mixed Methods Study.JMIR formative research · 2026Article
- Real-World Analysis of Organ Transplantation-Specific Agent Based on Large Language Model in Post-Transplant Self-Management During Off-Hours: A Mixed-Methods Study.Current medical science · 2026Article
- Integrating AI-Powered Chatbots Into Patient Education From the Perspectives of Patients, Caregivers, and Nurses: Qualitative Study.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Article
- Perceptions of simulated artificial intelligence in medical consultations: associations with stress, memory, and perceived credibility.NPJ digital medicine · 2026Article
- Assessment of a Digital Health Platform Using Web Analytics and User Experience Measurements: Quantitative Study Based on RE-AIM.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Article
- How do large language models answer ADHD-related questions? A comparative study of ChatGPT, Gemini, and DeepSeek.BMC psychiatry · 2026Article
- Role-based evaluation of artificial intelligence chatbot responses in orthodontic emergency scenarios: accuracy, readability, understandability, and patient-oriented communication.BMC oral health · 2026Article
- Article
- Use of the Dynamic Systems Development Method to Inform Technology-Assisted Motivational Interviewing (TAMI) for Tobacco Cessation: Qualitative Study.JMIR formative research · 2026Article
62 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundChatbots, or conversational agents, have emerged as significant tools in health care, driven by advancements in artificial intelligence and digital technology. These programs are designed to simulate human conversations, addressing various health care needs. However, no comprehensive synthesis of health care chatbots' roles, users, benefits, and limitations is available to inform future research and application in the field.
objectiveThis review aims to describe health care chatbots' characteristics, focusing on their diverse roles in the health care pathway, user groups, benefits, and limitations.
methodsA 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 or benefits in health care were included. Two reviewers dual-screened the search results. Extracted data on chatbot roles, users, benefits, and limitations were subjected to content analysis.
resultsThe review categorized chatbot roles into 2 themes: delivery of remote health services, including patient support, care management, education, skills building, and health behavior promotion, and provision of administrative assistance to health care providers. User groups spanned across patients with chronic conditions as well as patients with cancer; individuals focused on lifestyle improvements; and various demographic groups such as women, families, and older adults. Professionals and students in health care also emerged as significant users, alongside groups seeking mental health support, behavioral change, and educational enhancement. The benefits of health care chatbots were also classified into 2 themes: improvement of health care quality and efficiency and cost-effectiveness in health care delivery. The identified limitations encompassed ethical challenges, medicolegal and safety concerns, technical difficulties, user experience issues, and societal and economic impacts.
conclusionsHealth care chatbots offer a wide spectrum of applications, potentially impacting various aspects of health care. While they are promising tools for improving health care efficiency and quality, their integration into the health care system must be approached with consideration of their limitations to ensure optimal, safe, and equitable use.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.