Digital self-diagnosis tool used by Dutch doctors provides unreliable advice
By Simone Jacobs
The popular self-diagnosis tool MINDD, used by Dutch residents to determine whether they should visit the doctor, has been operating without the proper permits and providing unreliable advice for years.
Questionable medical advice given by Dutch digital tool
Moet Ik Naar De Dokter (MINDD) is an online tool developed in 2012 by an out-of-hours clinic in Apeldoorn to reduce pressure on Dutch healthcare workers. It allows potential patients to complete a questionnaire and then provides advice ranging from waiting to see if symptoms persist and taking paracetamol to contacting a general practitioner (GP or huisarts) or emergency services.
Almost 2.000 of the 4.900 GP practices in the Netherlands refer to the self-diagnosis tool on their websites. A large portion of the practices even require patients to use the tool before making a doctor's appointment.
Three years ago, the Dutch Ministry of Health claimed that the tool is not a reliable source of health advice, yet many doctors’ practices still make use of it. It is unclear what the tool bases its advice on and incorrect advice can also be given depending on slight differences in how someone answers the questionnaire.
For example, a person with symptoms that could point towards a heart attack or pulmonary embolism could receive advice to call 112 immediately if they put their age in as 40, but a 39-year-old with the same symptoms would be asked additional questions and be advised to contact their GP.
Set up your health insurance in the Netherlands
MINDD operating without correct permits
While MINDD claims to use information from the Dutch Triage Standard (NTS) and the Dutch College of General Practitioners (NHG), both organisations are critical about where the data comes from. "We have not given permission to attach our name to it. It is also not clear to us what their tool is based on," said NHG.
The Health and Youth Care Inspectorate (IGJ) has also confirmed that MINDD has been providing healthcare advice without the proper permits for around five years, reports NOS. On its website, MINDD is categorised as a tool that only provides health information, but it actually provides advice on whether someone should contact the doctor and how to self-treat certain symptoms.
Supplying health information falls under less strict regulations than providing medical advice, which means that MINDD is also disobeying strict European guidelines. "Providing advice requires strict quality and safety controls, which are lacking here," Amsterdam UMC health lawyer Corette Ploem told NOS.
No further investigation for MINDD
After the IGJ placed MINDD under supervision due to the lack of permits, the company has started getting its documentation in order and says it will be done after the summer. "We are dotting the i's and crossing the t's now and want to nip the whole discussion in the bud by simply doing it," a spokesperson said.
A further investigation into the company is not in the cards, as IGJ is satisfied with the promise of the correct permits. The National Association of General Practitioners (LHV) believes that doctors should be able to trust suppliers like MINDD to adhere to regulations and that obtaining the correct permits should be done more efficiently.
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Editor for the Netherlands at IamExpat Media. Simone studied Genetics and Zoology at the University of Pretoria in South Africa before moving to the Netherlands, where she has been working as a writer and editor since 2022. One thing she loves more than creating content is consuming it, mainly by reading books by the dozen. Other than being a book dragon, she is also a nature lover and enjoys hiking and animal training.Read more