A Chatbot Versus Physicians to Provide Information for Patients With Breast Cancer: Blind, Randomized Controlled Noninferiority Trial
BackgroundThe data regarding the use of conversational agents in oncology are scarce. ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to verify whether an artificial conversational agent was able to provide answers to patients with breast cancer with a level of satisfaction similar to the answers giv...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
JMIR Publications
2019-11-01
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| Series: | Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| Online Access: | http://www.jmir.org/2019/11/e15787/ |
| _version_ | 1818884348152119296 |
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| author | Bibault, Jean-Emmanuel Chaix, Benjamin Guillemassé, Arthur Cousin, Sophie Escande, Alexandre Perrin, Morgane Pienkowski, Arthur Delamon, Guillaume Nectoux, Pierre Brouard, Benoît |
| author_facet | Bibault, Jean-Emmanuel Chaix, Benjamin Guillemassé, Arthur Cousin, Sophie Escande, Alexandre Perrin, Morgane Pienkowski, Arthur Delamon, Guillaume Nectoux, Pierre Brouard, Benoît |
| author_sort | Bibault, Jean-Emmanuel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundThe data regarding the use of conversational agents in oncology are scarce.
ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to verify whether an artificial conversational agent was able to provide answers to patients with breast cancer with a level of satisfaction similar to the answers given by a group of physicians.
MethodsThis study is a blind, noninferiority randomized controlled trial that compared the information given by the chatbot, Vik, with that given by a multidisciplinary group of physicians to patients with breast cancer. Patients were women with breast cancer in treatment or in remission. The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Group information questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-INFO25) was adapted and used to compare the quality of the information provided to patients by the physician or the chatbot. The primary outcome was to show that the answers given by the Vik chatbot to common questions asked by patients with breast cancer about their therapy management are at least as satisfying as answers given by a multidisciplinary medical committee by comparing the success rate in each group (defined by a score above 3). The secondary objective was to compare the average scores obtained by the chatbot and physicians for each INFO25 item.
ResultsA total of 142 patients were included and randomized into two groups of 71. They were all female with a mean age of 42 years (SD 19). The success rates (as defined by a score >3) was 69% (49/71) in the chatbot group versus 64% (46/71) in the physicians group. The binomial test showed the noninferiority (P<.001) of the chatbot’s answers.
ConclusionsThis is the first study that assessed an artificial conversational agent used to inform patients with cancer. The EORTC INFO25 scores from the chatbot were found to be noninferior to the scores of the physicians. Artificial conversational agents may save patients with minor health concerns from a visit to the doctor. This could allow clinicians to spend more time to treat patients who need a consultation the most.
Trial RegistrationClinicaltrials.gov NCT03556813, https://tinyurl.com/rgtlehq |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T15:48:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-73cb77d78e964d568a64a5475e66e9ff |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1438-8871 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T15:48:07Z |
| publishDate | 2019-11-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-73cb77d78e964d568a64a5475e66e9ff2022-12-21T20:15:16ZengJMIR PublicationsJournal of Medical Internet Research1438-88712019-11-012111e1578710.2196/15787A Chatbot Versus Physicians to Provide Information for Patients With Breast Cancer: Blind, Randomized Controlled Noninferiority TrialBibault, Jean-EmmanuelChaix, BenjaminGuillemassé, ArthurCousin, SophieEscande, AlexandrePerrin, MorganePienkowski, ArthurDelamon, GuillaumeNectoux, PierreBrouard, BenoîtBackgroundThe data regarding the use of conversational agents in oncology are scarce. ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to verify whether an artificial conversational agent was able to provide answers to patients with breast cancer with a level of satisfaction similar to the answers given by a group of physicians. MethodsThis study is a blind, noninferiority randomized controlled trial that compared the information given by the chatbot, Vik, with that given by a multidisciplinary group of physicians to patients with breast cancer. Patients were women with breast cancer in treatment or in remission. The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Group information questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-INFO25) was adapted and used to compare the quality of the information provided to patients by the physician or the chatbot. The primary outcome was to show that the answers given by the Vik chatbot to common questions asked by patients with breast cancer about their therapy management are at least as satisfying as answers given by a multidisciplinary medical committee by comparing the success rate in each group (defined by a score above 3). The secondary objective was to compare the average scores obtained by the chatbot and physicians for each INFO25 item. ResultsA total of 142 patients were included and randomized into two groups of 71. They were all female with a mean age of 42 years (SD 19). The success rates (as defined by a score >3) was 69% (49/71) in the chatbot group versus 64% (46/71) in the physicians group. The binomial test showed the noninferiority (P<.001) of the chatbot’s answers. ConclusionsThis is the first study that assessed an artificial conversational agent used to inform patients with cancer. The EORTC INFO25 scores from the chatbot were found to be noninferior to the scores of the physicians. Artificial conversational agents may save patients with minor health concerns from a visit to the doctor. This could allow clinicians to spend more time to treat patients who need a consultation the most. Trial RegistrationClinicaltrials.gov NCT03556813, https://tinyurl.com/rgtlehqhttp://www.jmir.org/2019/11/e15787/ |
| spellingShingle | Bibault, Jean-Emmanuel Chaix, Benjamin Guillemassé, Arthur Cousin, Sophie Escande, Alexandre Perrin, Morgane Pienkowski, Arthur Delamon, Guillaume Nectoux, Pierre Brouard, Benoît A Chatbot Versus Physicians to Provide Information for Patients With Breast Cancer: Blind, Randomized Controlled Noninferiority Trial Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| title | A Chatbot Versus Physicians to Provide Information for Patients With Breast Cancer: Blind, Randomized Controlled Noninferiority Trial |
| title_full | A Chatbot Versus Physicians to Provide Information for Patients With Breast Cancer: Blind, Randomized Controlled Noninferiority Trial |
| title_fullStr | A Chatbot Versus Physicians to Provide Information for Patients With Breast Cancer: Blind, Randomized Controlled Noninferiority Trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Chatbot Versus Physicians to Provide Information for Patients With Breast Cancer: Blind, Randomized Controlled Noninferiority Trial |
| title_short | A Chatbot Versus Physicians to Provide Information for Patients With Breast Cancer: Blind, Randomized Controlled Noninferiority Trial |
| title_sort | chatbot versus physicians to provide information for patients with breast cancer blind randomized controlled noninferiority trial |
| url | http://www.jmir.org/2019/11/e15787/ |
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