The Evidence behind the Symptom Checker
Overview
The Symptom Checker contains nearly 300 care guides (127 adult; 170 pediatric). The tool helps patients and parents learn how sick they (or their family members) are and what to do for symptom relief. New care guides are created yearly along with an update of the existing ones. Our authors use evidence-based resources.
Origin: After-Hours Telephone Triage and Advice Protocols
The Symptom Checker care guides are derived from the most widely-used telephone care protocols in the world. The Schmitt telephone triage protocols are used in 95% of medical call centers in the United States and Canada. They have been the top decision-support tool since 1994. Many physicians and nurses refer to them as the standard of care. The Schmitt protocols are based on the following resources and evidence:
- National Guidelines and Policies (e.g., AAP, AAFP, ACEP, ACOG, CDC, FDA, AHA, ADA and other national organizations)
- The medical literature, including Cochrane reviews
- Expert reviewers (more than 100)
- Published research studies on the protocols (11)
New Information and Yearly Updates
Every year the after-hours telehealth protocols are updated and the Symptom Checker is a downstream product. Updates are based on the following:
- Changes in the medical literature
- Requested reviews from national organizations
- Findings from Quality Improvement projects at multiple medical call centers
- Findings from reviews of high risk calls.
- Recommendations from nurse managers and medical directors of call centers
- Reviews from a Primary Care Advisory Panel
Two studies have been conducted on accuracy and reliability of symptom checkers worldwide. Our tool ranks at the top of all triage-type evaluations.
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Review and Approval
Since 2010, the AAP has used our Pediatric Symptom Checker on their public parenting website (www.healthychildren.org). They also asked Self Care Decisions to develop the official AAP Symptom Checker Apps: KidsDoc and KidsDoc en Espanol. Prior to implementation, the AAP reviewed the Symptom Checker content and made few recommendations.
Health Literacy Advisor Software
The Care Guides are written at a 6th grade health literacy level. They have been tested by the latest software from Health Literacy Innovations. This means more people can understand and follow their guidance. Attention to health literacy is recommended by the NIH, CDC and other national medical organizations.
Mobile App Reviews
Mobile apps which include the symptom checker have been reviewed by experts and health systems: all were positive. The Self Care Decisions’ Symptom Checker guides users as to what action to take regarding their symptoms. It reduces unnecessary ED visits and offloads after-hours calls. It also provides detailed home care advice, making it easy for users to manage minor illnesses and injuries at home.
Summary
The Symptom Checker and the nurse triage content from which it was derived are both trusted by doctors and nurses. The Symptom Checker care guides are currently being used by hundreds of healthcare organizations, including 500+ office websites and within 30+ mobile phone apps.
Triage Accuracy of Symptom Checker Apps: 5-Year Follow-up Evaluation
Copyright © Malte L Schmieding, Marvin Kopka, Konrad Schmidt, Sven Schulz-Niethammer, Felix Balzer, Markus A Feufel. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (https://www.jmir.org), 10.05.2022
BMJ 2015; 351:H3480
Symptom checkers based upon the Schmitt-Thompson nurse triage protocols were more likely to provide appropriate triage decisions than those that did not. Study conducted by Harvard physicians, published August 2015.