Cost-effectiveness of using chatbots in healthcare: a systematic review

Abstract

Chatbots are automated conversation agents which are initiated through text and/ or voice messages using smartphones, computers, or other connected devices. The implementation of chatbot technology in healthcare has been growing during the recent years and chatbots are increasingly used in diagnostic tools or for patient management. Through the years, a moderate amount and mixed quality evidence has been generated on the efficacy and safety of healthcare chatbots, and despite their cost-saving potential, research on their cost-effectiveness has been scarce. The aim of this paper is to systematically review the methods and results of cost-effectiveness studies involving healthcare chatbots. Literature search was executed via PubMed and Web of Science. Two studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in this systematic review. A descriptive summary was performed. The reporting quality of both studies was poor. Both studies indicated that their cost-effectiveness measurements were study-based but only one study reported actuals costs. Cost effectiveness referred to resource savings on healthcare processes, but patients’ health outcomes were not measured, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were not reported. Therefore, the cost-effectiveness of healthcare chatbots should be further assessed by formal health economic evaluations.