nib New Zealand has rolled out an AI-powered symptom checker aimed at helping New Zealanders navigate the healthcare system and access suitable treatment based on their symptoms.
The objective is to reduce the burden on New Zealand’s healthcare providers.
This new feature, available to all nib health policyholders via the “my nib app,” allows users to enter their symptoms and receive information on possible conditions and recommended care settings. Recommendations may include visiting a general practitioner (GP) either in-person or through telehealth, monitoring symptoms at home, or going to an emergency department.
For policyholders advised to book a telehealth GP appointment, the insurer offers a limited-time option to schedule with Tend through the symptom checker. This provides access to Tend’s online GP service via the Tend app.
nib Group chief medical officer Dr Rob McGrath noted that the symptom checker platform, developed by digital health company Infermedica, is maintained by a team of medical experts. It has been implemented in over 30 countries, reaching over 17 million users globally before being adopted by nib.
“With the symptom checker, members are triaged rapidly via the app, using the latest available medical evidence, so they can understand how urgent their medical issue may be, and the best place to get care,” he said. “Where a member is given advice to self-care at home, they are advised to monitor their symptoms and seek medical advice should things change.”
nib noted that some New Zealand hospital emergency departments have reported wait times of up to 10 hours, leading the government to set a target of 95% of patients being admitted, discharged, or transferred within six hours.
Access to GPs is also strained, with 25% of GPs not accepting new patients and 54% reducing services due to funding and workforce issues.
nib New Zealand chief executive officer Rob Hennin highlighted that the symptom checker is one of several tools designed to help people take control of their health.
“AI-powered health tools, such as symptom-checkers, can help keep non-urgent medical cases out of hospital emergency departments, relieving some of the pressure on hospitals and emergency department staff, and help ensure people get the right level of medical attention,” he said.
Minister of Science, Innovation, and Technology Judith Collins has advocated for greater use of AI in health and education to improve productivity, including AI assessments of mammogram results, reflecting a trend towards AI health solutions.
Following the symptom checker’s Australian launch in February, nib’s data indicated that 63.5% of users were referred to a GP, 15% to an emergency department, and 21.5% were advised to monitor their symptoms at home.
The offer is available to all active nib health policyholders in New Zealand from Aug. 5 to Nov. 4. Policyholders using the symptom checker through the nib app, and where indicated, can access a telehealth consultation with a Tend GP at no additional cost.
This offer is subject to availability, and nib may apply fair use limits if excessive usage is identified.
Focusing on nib’s tech advancements, the insurer recently transitioned over 95% of its in-house data processing to the cloud, emphasising the key role of AI in improving its services.
