The core interview flow created with Engine API includes only those steps crucial to the interview process. That said, there is a plethora of options that can make the process more engaging, accurate, and meaningful. We present them below.
The list of complimentary interview options, together with the core elements:
- Welcome screen (core)
- Terms and conditions (core)
- 1st/3rd person point of view (complimentary)
- Pediatrics (extension)
- Age and gender (core)
- Common risk factors (complimentary)
- Initial symptoms - (core)
- Regional risk factors (complimentary)
- Related symptoms (complimentary)
- Red flags (complimentary)
- Interview - (core)
- Rationale (complimentary)
- Explanations (complimentary)
- Results screen (core)
- Specialist recommender (extension)
- Channel recommender (extension)
- Patient Education (extension)
Check out our descriptions of the core steps and extensions as well for the full picture.
1st/3rd person point of view
This is a screen that allows your user to set the interview to third person. This helps the user by presenting the interview questions from a third-person perspective, which is especially useful for those times when they are doing the interview for someone else. It is most commonly used with pediatrics but can also be used for adult medical content. This step doesn’t require any API calls.
Common risk factors
The Inference Engine requires risk factors to calculate the probability of conditions correctly. By adding risk factors, the interview's overall accuracy and results will be improved. These risk factors should be asked for at the beginning of the interview.
Asking for risk factors is possible with the /suggest endpoint ->
Regional risk factors
We also recommend asking about recent travels. This option includes adding a map of the region that the user lives in as well as those they have recently traveled to. This helps the engine calculate conditions and risks typically associated with those particular geographical regions.
This is supported by common_risk_factors (more on risk factors below) or the suggested algorithm but does require additional development and mapping. Here’s how to do it ->
Related symptoms
The related symptoms feature is an additional screen that can shorten the interview by asking about several symptoms at once. This screen helps to gather related symptoms, especially those frequently reported in patients with a similar age, gender, and main symptoms. It can be found through the /suggest endpoint using "suggest_method": "symptoms". Using this may help the patient express all their symptoms, even some that they may not initially think of themselves.
When using the /suggest endpoint, our doctors very strongly encourage having both explications and instructions next to the evidence whenever possible so that each patient can get the most complete understanding of the evidence that's on display.
To implement this screen, follow our Implementation guidelines for submitting related symptoms as evidence to the Infermedica engine. Don’t forget to set the “source” to “suggest”.
Red flags
This additional screen is used to identify worrying symptoms even faster. Here you'll find any symptoms the system considers alarming. These symptoms consist of anything from the current patient evidence that the system may associate with potentially life-threatening conditions. The red flags functionality is part of the /suggest endpoint - “suggest_method”: “red_flags”.
See our implementation guidelines for more information about submitting red flags as evidence to the Infermedica engine. Make sure to set the “source” to “red_flags”.
Rationale
In an effort to support the user, this explains the reasons behind why a certain question was asked. This endpoint can be used to expand on why a given question was presented.
Explanations
A function that supports users by providing additional explanations and instructions for certain medical questions, if needed. It can be enabled in the /diagnosis response and is used to assist patients who may need help answering a question.
Check out our developer portal for more inspiration and a technical overview. In case of questions, reach out to our customer support.
GWa