Concordance of data collected by an app for medical history taking and in-person interviews from patients in primary care.

OBJECTIVE

This study investigates the concordance of patient information collected using a medical history app compared to in-person interviews.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this cross-sectional study we used an app to collect medical data from patients in family practice in Germany. Collected information included age, height, weight, perceived severity of complaints, and 38 current complaints. Subsequently, in-person interviews based on the query structure of the app were conducted with patients directly after the patient finished filling out the app. Concordance was assessed as exact matches between the data collected app-based and in-person interviews, with the in-person interview as a reference. Regression analysis examined which patient characteristics were associated with mismatching and underreporting of complaints.

RESULTS

Three hundred ninety-nine patients were included in the study. Concordance of reported age, weight, and height, as well as perceived severity of complaints ranged from 76.2% to 96.7%. Across all 38 complaints, 64.4% of participants showed completely identical complaint selection in app-based and in-person interviews; 18.5% of all participants overreported; and 17.0% underreported at least 1 complaint when using the app. Male sex, higher age, and higher number of stated complaints were associated with higher odds of underreporting at least one complaint in the app.

DISCUSSION

App-collected data regarding age, weight, height, and perceived severity of complaints showed high concordance. The discordance shown concerning various complaints should be examined regarding their potential for medical errors.

CONCLUSION

The introduction of apps for gathering information on complaints can improve the efficiency and quality of care but must first be improved.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The study was registered at the German Clinical Trials Register No. DRKS00026659 registered November 3, 2021. World Health Organization Trial Registration Data Set, https://trialsearch.who.int/Trial2.aspx?TrialID=DRKS00026659.