‘Is this symptom normal?’: AI tool for patient questions rolls out in New Brunswick

A new artificial intelligence tool called Seamless Answers is now available for patients using the Horizon Health virtual health-care app in New Brunswick. The feature, which is part of the SeamlessMD app, allows patients to ask questions about their care, such as "When can I remove my dressing?" and "Is this symptom normal?" Jennifer Sheils, VP of Strategy, Transformation and Chief Innovation Officer at Horizon Health, emphasized that having access to reliable information is crucial for quality healthcare.

The AI-driven feature is designed to provide patients with answers to their questions at any time, even outside of regular business hours. The Seamless Answers tool is built on a library of educational content specifically customized and approved by the healthcare team at Horizon. According to Dr. Joshua Liu, co-founder of the app, patients often ask questions at odd hours when they cannot reach their care providers through traditional means.

The chatbot is programmed to only use information from the approved education library within SeamlessMD, ensuring that the answers are accurate and relevant to each patient's specific care. However, Liu also noted that there are limitations to what the AI can assist with, such as medical emergencies or situations where human intervention is required.

The AI system is being used by hospitals and health systems across North America, including Nova Scotia Health Authority. This marks New Brunswick as the first province in Atlantic Canada to offer the Seamless Answers feature across all healthcare regions, following its launch by Horizon Health in 2023 where 7,700 patients have already signed up.