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Samsung phones will offer AI-powered medical consultations in the UK
Samsung phones sold in the UK will soon come with Babylon's AI-powered medical consultation technology within the built-in Health app, according to Financial Times. The Korean tech giant has reportedly forged a deal with the startup, which you might know for its partnership with the UK's NHS called "GP at Hand" that lets you book doctor consultations via video chat. Like GP at Hand, the technology will also allow you to arrange video consultations with a doctor and to check symptoms through its Health app. FT says the deal will "propel Babylon further into the market for private medical care," which probably means you'll be able to use the technology to secure video appointments with private GPs.
NHS starts offering GP appointments via video call
You're often more likely to win a scratchcard jackpot than get a short-notice appointment at your local GP, so it's no surprise there are now a number of services offering nigh immediate, private consultations via smartphone video chat. Babylon Health is one such service that's just become available on the NHS, meaning eligible patients can book a free video consultation and chat to a GP within two hours, and sometimes much sooner. GPs can make referrals, send prescriptions to a nearby pharmacy, and users can rewatch consultations and review the doctor's notes at any time within the app.
UK health service to trial chatbot that gives medical advice
The UK's National Health Service (NHS) is to begin trialing a chatbot app for dispensing medical advice, with the aim of reducing the burden on its 111 non-emergency helpline. The 111 service went live in 2013, and serves as the first port of call for urgent advice in cases where it's likely overkill to scream for an ambulance right away -- if you've misread a prescription and taken more pills than you should've, for example. The AI-powered app could become another alternative, questioning users about their medical matter and symptoms before suggesting the best course of action.
