New digital communication tolos between health professionals and patients. About the dejal Dejal@Bot project

Abstract

Communication is a human ability that allows us to relate; build our identity (individual, groupal and collective); share norms, habits and behaviors and evolve personally and socially from the creation, development and acquisition of new knowledge and skills. Health communication is special because of the asymmetry between the professional and the patient. Its objective is to cure, prevent diseases or strengthen healthy attitudes and aptitudes. Its base (anamnesis) is very concrete. The patient sets out his reason for consultation and the healthcare provider obtains data that guides the exploration to obtain a diagnosis and treatment. The emergence of digital tools to communicate is changing this relationship for their comfort and immediacy, aspects highly appreciated by the population, and the healthcare providers cannot remain outside. Technological innovations develop faster than adjustments in ethics and legislation. What will happen when one of the subjects of the communication act is not human? A Chatbot is defined as a conversational robot that integrates an expert system or artificial intelligence that allows a conversation with a human. The development of health chatbots is still scarce, but it will be a more and more usual tool in the coming years due to its great efficiency, posing technological, social, ethical, communicative and health challenges. The DejaloBot project is the first independent clinical trial conducted in Primary Health Care to help patients quit smoking assisted by a chatbot. This has generated human-machine communication problems displayed in this article.