Digital Triage Tools Underperform For Musculoskeletal Conditions
A scoping review led by Truong et al. identified and evaluated digital health triage tools for adults with musculoskeletal conditions using searches through September 18, 2025, and included 34 studies covering 37,509 patients. The review found 16 unique tools, mostly generic symptom checkers, with sensitivity 39–91%, specificity 23–80%, and accuracy 33–98%. Authors recommend integrating digital tools with clinician judgment until more robust musculoskeletal-specific tools are available.
Key Points
- 1Identified 16 unique digital tools across 34 studies covering 37,509 patients.
- 2Found most tools were generic and only two specifically targeted musculoskeletal triage, limiting clinical relevance.
- 3Observed wide performance variability (sensitivity 39–91%, specificity 23–80%), so integrate tools with clinician judgment.
Scoring Rationale
Comprehensive scoping review across 34 studies provides robust evidence, but tools show heterogeneous and often low accuracy.
Sources
Public references used for this report.
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