How to Evaluate the Accuracy of Symptom Checkers and Diagnostic Decision Support Systems: Symptom Checker Accuracy Reporting Framework (SCARF)

Abstract

Symptom checkers are apps and websites that assist medical laypeople in diagnosing their symptoms and determining which course of action to take. When evaluating these tools, previous studies primarily used an approach introduced a decade ago that lacked any type of quality control. Numerous studies have criticized this approach, and several empirical studies have sought to improve specific aspects of evaluations. However, even after a decade, a high-quality methodological framework for standardizing the evaluation of symptom checkers is still lacking. This paper synthesizes empirical studies to outline the Symptom Checker Accuracy Reporting Framework (SCARF) and a corresponding checklist for standardizing evaluations based on representative case selection, an externally and internally valid evaluation design, and metrics that increase cross-study comparability. This approach is supported by several open access resources to facilitate implementation. Ultimately, it should enhance the quality and comparability of future evaluations of online and artificial intelligence (AI)-based symptom checkers, diagnostic decision support systems, and large language models to enable meta-analyses and help stakeholders make more informed decisions.

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