Symptom Checker

The Federal Ministry of Health already wrote in June 2022 (https://www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de/ministerium/ressortforschung/handlungsfelder/forschungsschwerpunkte/zdg/akusym.html):

“Before patients seek acute care, they often inform themselves online about their complaints and suitable care structures. For this purpose, smartphone or web applications referred to as “Symptom Checkers” have increasingly established themselves, and their user numbers have doubled in Germany over the past five years. They provide users with an individual assessment of possible diagnoses and a precise recommendation on the urgency and where a complaint should be clarified. In addition, patients could report a more accurate medical history and prepare possible questions. This could increase patient satisfaction and lead to improved doctor-patient communication.”

The Federal Ministry of Research wrote about a project from 2021 to 2023 (https://www.gesundheitsforschung-bmbf.de/de/check-app-symptom-checker-auf-basis-kunstlicher-intelligenz-11197.php)

“Digitization will sustainably change large parts of health research and healthcare in the foreseeable future. An important prerequisite for appropriate information and a reflective engagement of society with digitization, Big Data applications, Artificial Intelligence, and medical informatics in research and care is the careful analysis of opportunities and risks for further handling.” … “The Check-App project deals with the effects of digitization using the example of a Symptom Checker app. How does it influence people’s health literacy, patients’ self-perception, and their relationship with treating physicians? And what influence does it have on healthcare providers and their professional role understanding?”

Sanofi Campus tests selected European AI Symptom Checkers on September 18, 2024: (https://pro.campus.sanofi/de/weitere-themen-zu-seltenen-erkrankungen/wissen/ki-symptom-checker)

“How you can get support for unclear symptoms and save valuable time!” “In the selection of Symptom Checkers shown here, we focused on European providers who offer free tools without requiring registration. You can start immediately! The list is not exhaustive and is continuously updated by us.”

Stiftung Warentest wrote on February 25, 2025 (https://www.test.de/symptom-checker-im-test-6197878-0/)

“Quickly checking disease symptoms online via a Google search – many people use this strategy when they have complaints. However, they are often no smarter afterwards, but only worried because ‘Dr. Google’ lists many serious diseases as possible causes. An alternative is Symptom Checkers: apps and websites where laypeople can enter their symptoms to have an algorithm determine what illness it might be.”

Stiftung Warentest tested ten free German-language Symptom Checkers and concludes that even if such a test does not replace a doctor’s visit, it is better for initial orientation than a Google search.