Vik: A Chatbot to Support Patients with Chronic Diseases
- 1 ENT & Head and Neck Surgery Department, Hospital Gui de Chauliac, Montpellier, France
- 2 WeFight, Brain & Spine Institute, Hospital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
- 3 WeFight, Brain & Spine Institute, Hospital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
- 4 WeFight, Brain & Spine Institute, Hospital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
- 5 WeFight, Brain & Spine Institute, Hospital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
- 6 University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
Abstract
Background: Chatbots are easy to use and simulate a human conversation through text or voice via smartphones or computers. In the field of health, chatbots can improve patient information, monitoring, or treatment adherence. Method: The objective of this article is to describe how a chatbot dedicated to disease monitoring and support of patients can interact with them and how data are exploited to be safe. Results: Wefight designed a chatbot named Vik to empower patients with cancers or chronic diseases and their relatives via personalized text messages. Natural Language Processing models were used. We built several Vik for each disease. Each Vik has its contents, its own NLP model and interacts its way with the patient. Conclusion: Conversational agents may help patients with minor health concerns without seeing a real physician. If the quality of these softwares is not thoroughly assessed, they could be dangerous. If chatbots are effective and safe, they could be prescribed like a drug to improve patient information, monitoring, or treatment adherence.
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