Research Evaluation
CareRoute's symptom checker has been tested using standardized medical cases in a formal research study. Here's what our evaluation found about its safety and accuracy.
Key Study Results
Overall Accuracy
Correctly identified the right level of care in 40 out of 45 standardized medical cases
Emergency Safety
Never missed a true emergency - correctly identified all 15 cases requiring immediate care
Minutes for Emergencies
Smart questioning asks fewer questions for urgent cases - emergency assessments averaged just 2.5 minutes
What This Means for You
When you use CareRoute's symptom checker, you're using a tool that has been tested on the same types of medical scenarios that clinics use to validate other symptom checkers. The results show it's both accurate and safe, with perfect performance on emergency cases where getting the right answer matters most. Importantly, it never puts you at risk by under-triaging serious conditions.
How We Tested Safety & Accuracy
Standardized Medical Cases
We used standardized clinical vignettes (medical case studies) originally developed by Harvard researchers to validate symptom checkers.
Interactive Testing Process
A physician evaluator interacted with CareRoute just like a real user would:
- Started with only the main symptom complaint
- Answered CareRoute's follow-up questions naturally
- Received a triage recommendation at the end
What We Measured
Beyond just accuracy, we measured multiple aspects of quality:
- Safety (never missing emergencies)
- Question quality (actively extracting key symptoms)
- User burden (time and questions asked)
Smart Questioning in Action: Kidney Stone Case
The Medical Case
"A 45-year-old man presents with sudden onset left-sided flank pain radiating to his groin. He's writhing in pain, which is unrelieved by position changes. He also has nausea and vomiting."
How CareRoute Performed
Active Symptom Extraction Through Targeted Questioning
Unlike simple symptom checkers that rely on you to know what's relevant, CareRoute actively discovers critical symptoms through strategic questioning:
Key Questions Asked:
- "Does the pain move or radiate anywhere?"
- "Are you experiencing nausea or vomiting?"
- "Does changing position help the pain?"
- "How quickly did the pain start?"
Critical Symptoms Discovered:
- Pain radiating to groin (classic kidney stone sign)
- Sudden onset (suggests acute condition)
- Associated nausea/vomiting
- Pain unrelieved by position changes
Safety First Design
The study found that CareRoute has a "safety-first" approach - when in doubt, it recommends seeking medical care rather than risking your health. This rigorous safety approach resulted in:
Zero Dangerous Under-Triages
Never told someone with a true emergency to stay home or just see their doctor later. No cases where a person needing immediate care was told to wait - the most critical safety measure.
Reasonable Over-Triages Only
The few "incorrect" cases were actually reasonable recommendations to see a doctor for conditions that could have been managed at home - a cautious approach that prioritizes your safety over convenience.
Smart Questioning Technology
Emergency Cases
When symptoms suggest an emergency, CareRoute asks fewer but more targeted questions to get you help faster.
Doctor Visit Cases
Detailed evaluation to zero in on the specific non-emergent medical attention required.
Self-Care Cases
Thorough questioning ensures it's truly safe to manage symptoms at home.
Published Research
"Interactive Evaluation of an Adaptive-Questioning Symptom Checker Using Standardized Clinical Vignettes"
Prathima Madda, Jagadeesh Kondru • medRxiv preprint • August 2025
This study represents a comprehensive evaluation of both triage accuracy and question quality in an AI symptom checker. The methodology and results have been submitted for peer review.
Try the Research-Tested Symptom Checker
Now that you know how CareRoute has been evaluated in our research study, experience the symptom checker for yourself.
Disclaimer: While CareRoute provides helpful guidance, it is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider for concerning symptoms.