Can you believe it has been more than 10 years since Siri was released? While Siri is a virtual assistant, the advances in machine learning and AI have made chatbots more useful, responsive, and smarter.
Fast forward to today, and we practically can’t live without chatbots. Many are deployed on chatbot platforms such as WeChat, Facebook Messenger, Slack, and so on. Countless famous companies are using AI chatbots, like Sephora, Lyft, Whole Foods, and Domino’s Pizza.
In 2022, the global chatbot market was worth $0.84 billion. By 2032, it is estimated to reach $4.9 billion. That’s a CAGR of 19.29% for the forecast period of 2023 to 2032.
The truth is, chatbots are changing healthcare. AI technology has disrupted many industries, and the healthcare sector is no exception. With the help of technology, we can automate many lower-level responsibilities.
Healthcare chatbots can store, collect, and monitor data. They are available around the clock and are easy to work with. The question is, how can these chatbots help people with diabetes? Here is all you need to know about the power of chatbots in diabetes care.
Chatbots are interactive tools. They are computer program that uses natural language processing (NLP) and artificial intelligence (AI). This technology can mimic human conversation through text chats, voice commands, or both.
This technology has a wide range of purposes. It can be used for:
Chatbots can understand user input, carry out specific tasks, and generate relevant responses. We can deploy them on all sorts of platforms and apps. That includes mobile apps, messaging apps, websites, customer service portals, and so on.
Before you go to a doctor what do you do? I check my symptoms online. I Google for signs of high or low blood sugar. If I have frequent urination, increased thirst, and I am very prone to infections, then I’m pretty sure I am doing something wrong.
In fact, 89% of Americans are turning to Google before they see a doctor, a study shows. Now, if you’ve done this before, you know this is a bad idea.
Most of the time, the results are terrible and make us feel even more anxious. There have been many times when I’ve misdiagnosed myself and said “Thank gosh it isn’t cancer”. My doctor will say “No, it’s not cancer, it is just ingrown hair or abnormally high insulin levels.”
Chatbots are here to solve that problem.
According to a recent case study, one important factor in taking care of diabetes is therapeutic education (TE). TE involves teaching us how to independently manage our condition.
Chatbots can offer:
This technology is capable of better-organizing information, medication management, and offering solutions for simpler medical problems. These AI-powered messaging systems can help patients, nurses, and doctors.
A health chatbot is designed to address a specific health problem. Instead of just collecting data from online sources, and take you down a rabbit hole of information, they can provide precise information and offer reliable treatment.
AI chatbots understand user questions and respond based on predefined labels in the training data. They can decide the level of therapy and medication necessary.
Chatbots are a new and highly developing technology. They can harness the potential of mobile health by delivering personalized and standardized interventions. These interventions can help address a range of diabetes problems.
Here is a quick look at the benefits of using chatbots for diabetes care.
Chatbots are available 24/7. So, if I have a problem in the middle of the night, and my doctor has a morning shift, I can just tell the chatbot how I am feeling, and it can offer some ways for me to solve the problem.
This availability is game-changing. Since this technology can answer questions in a timely manner, it makes it a practical solution for calming anxiety and saving time.
Talking with a chatbot feels like I’m talking with a human. Except that the chatbot is much smarter than a human. A chatbot can respond almost instantly. It needs just a fraction of a second to process information and create a response.
Behind the scenes, there is integrated data that’s customized to my unique needs. This makes the support feel more reliable and efficient.
For example, the chatbot can ask me to set behavioral diagnostic questions over time. It has the capacity to learn from the user and notice any changes in the user’s experience or behavior. The chatbot, then, gathers insight and detects patterns.
Eventually, the chatbot could accurately and automatically guide us toward the most suitable journey or behavioral intervention.
Chatbots are sophisticated systems capable of answering a wide range of questions. This can help us save money by improving our access to basic care.
Chatbots are not just useful for the patient. They are beneficial for the healthcare industry too.
AI chatbots in healthcare are frequently used to book patient appointments and send reminders. This helps minimize forgotten appointments and cancellations.
On average, a missed appointment can cost a doctor around $200 per slot. However, by streamlining scheduling processes, AI solutions like chatbots can save the healthcare sector a significant amount of money, approximately $150 billion annually.
So, there you have it. Chatbots can come in handy for diabetes support. They can offer personalized assistance, reliable information, and round-the-clock support. This makes chatbots reliable allies for navigating the complexities of diabetes care.