Differences in information accessed in a pharmacologic knowledge base using a conversational agent vs traditional search methods.

Journal: International journal of medical informatics
Published Date:

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Clinicians rely on pharmacologic knowledge bases to answer medication questions and avoid potential adverse drug events. In late 2018, an artificial intelligence-based conversational agent, Watson Assistant (WA), was made available to online subscribers to the pharmacologic knowledge base, Micromedex®. WA allows users to ask medication-related questions in natural language. This study evaluated search method-dependent differences in the frequency of information accessed by traditional methods (keyword search and heading navigation) vs conversational agent search.

Authors

  • Anita M Preininger
    IBM Watson Health, IBM Corporation, Cambridge, MA.
  • Bedda L Rosario
    Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
  • Adam M Buchold
    IBM Watson Health, Cambridge, MA, USA.
  • Jeff Heiland
    IBM Watson Health, Cambridge, MA, USA.
  • Nawshin Kutub
    IBM Watson Health, Cambridge, MA, USA.
  • Bryan S Bohanan
    IBM Watson Health, Cambridge, MA, USA.
  • Brett South
    George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
  • Gretchen P Jackson
    IBM Watson Health, IBM Corporation, Cambridge, MA.