Samsung has partnered with Babylon Health to offer AI-powered medical consultations to its smartphone users via the ‘GP at Hand’ service.
AI News first covered GP at Hand in November last year.
“GP at Hand is a window into what the NHS of the future will look like,” said Dr Howard Freeman MBE, senior GP. “When innovative NHS GPs embrace Babylon’s technology to make life better for their patients, the sky is the limit.”
The service uses AI to determine if a patient’s symptoms require further attention before putting them in touch with a GP using video chat if necessary.
Where appropriate, prescriptions can be sent automatically to a pharmacy of choice — or a patient can be booked in for a physical examination at a practice.
Dr. Ali Parsa, Babylon’s Founder & CEO, says:
“Babylon’s mission is to make healthcare accessible and affordable and to put it into the hands of everyone on Earth. Samsung’s vision for empowering individuals and transforming healthcare, partnered with the company’s illustrious history of technological innovation, constant focus on customer satisfaction and truly global reach makes it a perfect fit with our values and mission.
It’s very exciting to know that millions of Samsung users will soon be able to better manage their health using Babylon’s services as we deliver personal health assessments and treatment advice via their Samsung Galaxy devices.”
Samsung will be integrating Babylon Health’s service into the built-in Samsung Health app on compatible Galaxy devices. The service will not be free: users can decide between a £50 per year subscription, or pay £25 for a one-off appointment.
Kyle Brown, Head of Technology and Services at Samsung UK, adds:
“We’re excited to be welcoming ‘Ask an Expert, powered by Babylon’ to the Samsung Health app. Now our customers will be able to look after their health from wherever they are – whether it’s checking a symptom or talking to a doctor – all within a few simple taps.
The availability of the Babylon service within the app is another milestone for Samsung as we move towards a more connected, healthy world.”
Health startup Babylon has been expanding rapidly as people look for alternatives to overburdened traditional health services.
Dame Barbara Hakin, Former GP and National Director in NHS England, comments:
“I know just how difficult times are for GPs these days and how busy they are. GP at Hand, in addition to being very convenient for patients, can help the service given the recruitment crisis we know is facing us.
This technology can take more of the strain and ensure the best information and insight is available ahead of consultations which will then relieve some of the pressure on hard-pressed clinicians.”
While the service is launching in the UK, Babylon Health is looking to expand its partnership with Samsung worldwide.
Babylon Health recently signed a deal with social giant WeChat in China to offer its services in the country; showing its desire to make healthcare more accessible to everyone around the world.
One day, it’s not hard to imagine a subscription to a service like GP at Hand being able to quickly connect patients with local doctors for advice and treatment even while travelling in other countries. That could offer a lot of peace of mind.
What are your thoughts on the partnership? Let us know in the comments.
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