Cleveland Clinic chatbot will help you decide what to do if you feel ill

SANDUSKY — Feeling sick in the middle of a pandemic? The Cleveland Clinic has launched a new online chatbot to serve as a screening tool for people who feel ill. By asking a series of questions, the chatbot helps people decide whether they should simply take care of themselves at home until they feel better or if they are at risk from COVID-19 and should seek medical care and perhaps seek a test. The chatbot is available at various locations on the Cleveland Clinic website, including the main page at my.clevelandclinic.org. "Try our free screening tool to find out your risk level, based on your symptoms and travel, and get the most appropriate care recommendations," the clinic says. The questions posed include the patient's symptoms and whether the patient has characteristics that would make the patient at particularly high risk. If the patient is advised to seek medical care, the patient is advised to phone his or her physician or use a telemedicine app to seek care, rather than showing up in person at a medical office. Erie County residents, for example, can download the Firelands Virtual Care app. As of Monday morning, the Cleveland Clinic chatbot had been used by almost 70,000 people, spokeswoman Jennifer Guerrieri said. The Cleveland Clinic's website also features the clinic's own mobile apps and the clinic's frequently asked questions document on COVID-19. The clinic and University Hospitals have been operating drive-thru COVID-19 testing sites, although testing has been prioritized so far for patients 61 and older and those who have serious pre-existing medical conditions.