Artificial intelligence guides patients to appropriate care and specialists
Following a successful pilot program in Europe, Infermedica’s AI Symptom Checker is being embedded into global health insurer Cigna’s virtual health and wellbeing products
The AI-driven technology virtually helps customers with new and existing medical conditions, ensuring that patients who need to see a doctor receive advice and are guided to the right care and specialist. Not only does this improve access to healthcare and patient flow, but it also provides healthcare and insurance professionals with greater resources to make accurate decisions, saving time and money in the long run.
The importance of digital healthcare
The healthtech platform now forms part of Cigna’s virtual care offering, which has seen a 500-per-cent increase in usage since the start of the pandemic, highlighting the growing importance of digital healthcare
Ewa Ruka, Business Development Specialist at Infermedica, said: “We are delighted to combine our platform with Cigna’s app and portal. Better healthcare can be driven by partnerships between established brands and innovative providers, with the Pilot Program’s initial positive feedback reflecting what can be achieved.
“Our vision is to make primary care accessible, accurate and convenient for all, and this is why our solution is available 24/7 and in many languages. That means greater access regardless of location or whether emergency rooms and doctors’ offices are open. We are helping to ensure people get the assistance they need quickly while streamlining patient flow which, in turn, increases the efficiencies of healthcare and health insurance providers so they can reinvest resources to deliver better care.”
The solution is powered by Infermedica’s AI platform, which has conducted over eight million health check-ups to date. Bart Jordens, Global Head of Innovation at Cigna International Markets said: “There is a growing demand for virtual care. Our recent Cigna 360 Well-Being Survey revealed 51 per cent of people in Europe have used virtual health services before and during the pandemic.
“Convenience and the ability to access support anytime are essential benefits of telehealth and virtual health services, and in fact we have seen a 500-per-cent increase in demand over the past year.”
Telemedicine could save the industry billions of dollars if the sector continues to use it to its best advantage.