Are the numbness in my hands harmless – or indication of a first illness? This is a question that only a doctor can answer well. A first assessment of whether and how quickly you should open in practice provide so-called symptom checkers.
This is how it works: Users can enter their symptoms on the respective website or in the app. An algorithm then calculates which health problems could be behind. On top of that, there are often still recommendations for behavior.
But how good are the suspected diagnoses that the digital helpers spit out? The Stiftung Warentest wanted to know this and put ten offers through its paces (“Stiftung Warentest” edition 3/2025).
Some symptom checkers shoot out the target
For this purpose, the testers developed five fictional model cases: the symptom checkers should recognize, among other things, a herniated disc, angina pectoris and a depression. For the technical expertise, the goods testers brought corresponding specialists on board.
There are big differences in the accuracy of the suspected diagnoses. The symptom checkers “Ada” and “Symptomats” provide reliable results – and both are the test winners with the grade of 1.9 (“good”).
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Other offers can convince the testers significantly less. Points are deducted, among other things, for offers that provide a long list of suspected diagnoses without prioritization. “So much choice helps the average person seeking advice,” write the goods testers. At most, she can use patients who have not found any help elsewhere.
A symptom checker even rattles “poor” with the grade. On the description of depressive symptoms – including suicidal thoughts – his answer is: “I didn’t quite understand that.” The same symptom checker stirs up unnecessary panic in the test in symptoms of bladder infection and advises you to visit the doctor within four hours. This is not necessary at all.
Special case patient navigation system
Quick to the doctor: If the symptom checker gives this recommendation, the hurdle is often to get an appointment promptly. A symptom checker in the test offers this problem: the “patient navigation system” of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians
In the test, this offer is only in midfield because it is too reserved for the Stiftung Warentest with suspected diagnosis. However, health insurance patients can help a doctor’s appointment more quickly -if the symptom checker recommends treatment within 24 hours.
Then the “patient navigation system” continues to lead users to a preferred appointment booking at a family doctor. There you can get an acuttering min – online, but sometimes only by phone.
How well this service actually works did not systematically check the goods testers, but at least randomly. “In the test we got appointments in cities and sometimes in the country at short notice, often on the same day,” it says. You think: an attempt under Patientnavi.116117.de it’s worth it.
Advantages towards Dr. Search engine
The question remains: Does it make sense to hunt your own symptoms through an app? Yes, is the “Stiftung Warentest” conclusion. Even if this does not replace the visit to the doctor: “A good service is better for the first orientation than a Google research-and can guide patients to the doctor early.”
By the way: Symptom checkers can be useful, especially in mental illnesses, according to the family doctor Jens in the magazine. Without the recommendation of the app, those affected may have greater shy to go to the doctor.
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