Does an online symptoms checker provide a reliable diagnosis?

Online symptom checkers are endorsed by a growing number of health care providers as a reliable source for diagnoses. Many doctors add these tools to their websites and find them helpful for saving time, increasing efficiency during patient visits, and providing additional considerations, notes iHealthBeat.

Medical professionals who provide a symptom checker tool for patients may have confidence in its trustworthiness yet include a website disclaimer. Online resources help patients make informed health decisions but are not a substitute for a formal diagnosis from an actual medical evaluation, according to Health Net Federal Services. Patients are encouraged to seek treatment as needed.