Balancing Technology and Human Touch: iHG’s Approach to Modern Healthcare

While healthcare might appear stagnant from the outside, the reality is that the rapid pace of technological development and rising patient expectations are driving significant transformation within the industry.

For example, patients used to arrive at clinics with self-diagnoses from web searches; now, they come armed with answers from ChatGPT and a long list of questions for their physicians. This shift illustrates how the patient-provider dynamic is evolving and underscores the necessity for healthcare professionals to stay updated.

How is the industry adapting to these informed patients and integrating technology to improve the quality of care?
 

Healthcare that’s Localised

One way to tackle the changing expectations of patients is by developing localised generative AI agents tailored to conditions and requirements specific to the region. Instead of having patients show up with a generic diagnosis skewed heavily towards demographics in the West, why not develop localised generative AI agents tailored to conditions and requirements specific to the region?

Singapore-based Fin-MedTech firm, iAPPS Health Group (iHG), did just that with its AI Symptom Checker, which takes reported symptoms to provide preliminary assessments and recommendations. Developed with the tropical climate and regional health concerns in mind, it is better positioned to identify illnesses like streptococcus and mycoplasma, which are prevalent in Singapore but less common in temperate countries.

According to iHG, these AI agents can bridge the gap between initial self-assessment and professional medical advice, ensuring patients receive timely and accurate guidance. iHG plans to upgrade the dashboard of its 1doc app to support interactions with various AI agents currently in development.

The team isn’t stopping at patient-centric AI agents but is also working to integrate AI into mainstream healthcare processes. This means doctors and allied healthcare providers could soon have access to new AI capabilities, such as tools designed to assist with diagnostics or provide better patient advice on potential drug interactions.

Equipping healthcare workers is a vital part of iHG’s strategy, for the simple reason that patients tend to be more open with those they engage regularly. This makes nurses and health coaches just as important as doctors in using AI tools to foster a supportive and informed healthcare environment.
 

A Next-gen Robot Pharmacy

In manpower-scarce Singapore, another important consideration is the ability to automate routine tasks to free up healthcare professionals. The 1doc Robot Pharmacy developed by iHG addresses this need by dispensing prescription medications using cameras, robotic arms, and printed labels that fully comply with labelling regulations. Since its launch, Robot Pharmacy has been deployed in over 50 locations.

But can this concept be taken further? After all, nursing homes often spend a substantial amount of time on the laborious task of deblistering pills and packing them into pill organisers for patients. This is a tall order as some residents might need to consume half a dozen or more types of medications daily. Another problem is the non-trivial risks of mistakes as nurses manually sort through similar-looking pills.

To address this challenge, the iHG team developed a new Multi-dose Robot Pharmacy. It works by packing multiple pills with the correct dosage into convenient plastic sachets that patients pull out one tab at a time. Sachets are packed in the right sequence for each day and labelled respectively as morning, afternoon, or evening doses. This has the added benefit of freeing nurses to do higher-order tasks, including engaging more meaningfully with patients.
 

AI-powered Fall Detection

Cameras are an excellent tool for caregivers to monitor elderly or mobility-impaired individuals to ensure that they are safe and not in distress. This is particularly important for fall detection, where timely intervention can prevent serious injuries or complications. However, cameras pose privacy concerns and must be managed carefully.

To address this, iHG developed an AI-powered solution that replaces actual video imagery with a stick figure, allowing effective monitoring without compromising privacy. Designed for nursing homes, operators can mark out furniture such as beds, and the system is intelligent enough to differentiate between a resting individual and someone who has fallen. This ensures nursing staff are alerted only in genuine emergencies, thus reducing alarm fatigue.

Beyond its use in nursing homes and hospitals, the plan is to eventually launch this AI-powered video monitoring solution for residential homes. The home version will include gesture detection to activate voice communication with a family member in the event of a bad fall.

Technology is not a replacement for trained professionals in healthcare; ultimately, patients still crave human interaction. However, using technologies like robotics and AI can significantly reduce or eliminate tedious tasks, allowing healthcare workers to spend more time on meaningful interactions with those under their care.

Want to learn more about the various healthcare solutions from iAPPS Health Group? Visit their website here or drop by their showcase at GovWare 2024 to experience the AI Symptom Checker – one of five AI agents available – firsthand.