KPT and Medi24 launch physician chat service
The health insurance company KPT and the telemedicine specialist Medi24 are offering "DoctorChat," a new service for initial medical clarification. The service combines artificial intelligence with human consultation.
With the chat service, the two Bern-based companies want to simplify quick access to reliable, medically supported medical information. Through the new service, a doctor can be contacted via Whatsapp, Telegram or SMS to provide professional advice.
"DoctorChat" is free of charge for KPT policyholders and accessible around the clock from anywhere. After a one-time registration, users select the desired communication channel and enter their health question. This is assigned to a real doctor using AI. The medical professional from the Medi24 network answers the question promptly on the selected channel. "We are eager to hear about our customers' experiences and will continue to develop our offering in line with their needs," says KPT CEO Reto Egloff.
Positive experience from abroad
he digital physician assistant is no substitute for telemedical consultation and goes into less depth than a telephone service. However, the service is intended to be a useful supplement to telemedicine and a better alternative to non-transparent Internet search services. Lebrecht Gerber, CEO of Medi24, says: "Digitization also offers completely new possibilities in medical consultation, which make patients' lives easier and at the same time relieve the burden on the healthcare system."
Experience from abroad shows that such services can prevent unnecessary doctor consultations. Up to 70 percent of inquiries can be completed in one chat session. Surveys also show a high level of acceptance among the population: 96 percent of existing users would recommend the innovative digital service to their friends. (pd/swi)
