Every home gets a virtual doctor: Meet NHSO’s 'Doctor Home' AI system
Meet 'Doctor Home,' the AI-powered smart physician. Now every home has a virtual doctor for preliminary health screening via the NHSO platform.
- "Doctor Home" is an AI system from the National Health Security Office (NHSO) that allows users to perform preliminary self-assessments of illnesses and symptoms via a website or the Line app.
- The AI's knowledge base is derived from a medical textbook by Dr. Surakiat Achananupap, covering over 400 symptoms, and it provides users with clarifying questions and health education.
- Its primary purpose is to reduce the workload on doctors, support health volunteers in remote areas, and empower the public to evaluate minor symptoms.
- Following an assessment, users may be connected to telemedicine services for minor illnesses or advised to see a doctor for more serious conditions.
"Doctor Home" is an AI development designed to assist people in performing preliminary self-assessment for illnesses and symptoms. It provides information about diseases and offers medical advice.
Users can access the platform via both a website and through the Line Official Account of the National Health Security Office (NHSO).
The primary objective of Doctor Home is to reduce the workload on doctors and to serve as a supportive tool for public health personnel, such as Village Health Volunteers (VHV), in caring for people in remote areas.
Additionally, it empowers the general public to perform initial symptom evaluations for less severe illnesses.
The platform was introduced to the public in 2023. Its knowledge base is derived from the medical experience of Dr Surakiat Achananupap, a former medical lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University.
This knowledge stems from his widely used textbook on the examination and treatment of general diseases.
Surakiat initially created the textbook because he observed that a lack of medical knowledge in remote areas was a significant hurdle for personnel providing basic healthcare, and community members lacked sufficient health literacy.
He recognised that many common ailments could be prevented or treated initially without the need to visit a community or provincial hospital. The textbook compiles information on over 400 symptoms and diseases.
Features of 'Doctor Home'
Upon accessing the NHSO's Line Official Account, users will find the Doctor Home function at the bottom. When first launched, the system prompts the user to input symptoms such as fever, cough, headache, diabetes, etc. Further questions are then asked to confirm and elaborate on the reported symptoms.
Beyond symptom querying, the platform also provides supplementary health education. This not only allows the public to understand their initial symptoms but also enhances their general health knowledge.
For example, it defines a severe headache as a headache that is sudden and more intense than anything experienced before, is so painful that it prevents sleep, or does not subside with pain medication.
Such explanations help users better understand the meaning of their symptoms. In some cases, the platform uses clear visuals, such as how to observe pupils.
For those with the National Health Security (Gold Card) scheme who use Doctor Home to assess minor illnesses and are advised to consult a doctor, they can utilise online doctor consultations (Telemedicine) with medication delivery to their home.
If the symptoms indicate the need for further medical attention, the user will be advised to see a doctor for additional diagnosis.
