Design and Analysis of a Mobile Chatbot Application for Hospital Room Availability Using the Bryant Evaluation Method

Abstract

The availability of inpatient rooms plays a vital role in providing intensive medical care for patients. However, many hospitals still face challenges in managing and accessing real-time information on room availability. This information is critical for hospital operations, particularly during emergencies, patient surges, or public health crises. Unfortunately, most hospitals continue to rely on localized, manual, and non-integrated information systems, which hinder efficient data sharing across institutions. This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of the Bryant method in evaluating an integrated system for retrieving inpatient room availability across hospitals. The Bryant method serves as a prioritization framework that assigns weighted values to predetermined parameters. In this research, a WhatsApp-based chatbot application was developed to facilitate the retrieval of inpatient room information at RSIA Abby and MMC General Hospital in Lhokseumawe, Indonesia. The evaluation criteria based on the Bryant Method include disease type, proximity to nurses, number of patients or privacy level, proximity to the bathroom, and room lighting or window access. The system’s performance test demonstrated a response time of approximately one second per chat interaction. User evaluation results revealed that 41.3% of respondents rated the chatbot as highly appropriate and 37% as appropriate in displaying real-time inpatient room availability for both hospitals. Additionally, 45.7% and 30.4% of respondents, respectively, rated the system’s response speed as highly appropriate and appropriate, while 43.5% and 37% agreed that the chatbot effectively assisted in determining suitable inpatient room selections. These findings indicate that the integration of the Bryant Method within a mobile-based chatbot application can enhance hospital information accessibility and decision-making efficiency.