Physicians have begun to embrace online symptom-checkers and similar self-diagnostic tools as a way to make consultations more productive, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.
More than 40 percent of Americans are comfortable using an online symptom-checker, according to a Philips North America survey cited in the report, and physicians are increasingly encouraging patients to take advantage of these tools to compile a list of symptoms and begin to explore possible diagnoses, making appointments more efficient.
"[Patients] get better and smarter questions to come to their doctor with" after using these tools, said George Reynolds, MD, physician and CIO at Omaha (Neb.) Children's Hospital & Medical Center, in the report.
More Articles on Online Symptom-Checkers:
Survey: 27% of Patients Use Web-Based HIT to Circumvent Physician Visits
Building a Care Bridge To Patients in an Era of Self Help
4 Strategies to Drive Patient Engagement in Health Outcomes