A company in Quebec is revolutionizing access to healthcare with the launch of an AI-powered assistant designed to evaluate health concerns.
Do you have a headache, fever, or cough? Instead of rushing to the emergency room or scheduling a doctor’s appointment right away, a new chatbot may offer a middle ground by assessing symptoms and directing patients to the appropriate healthcare resources.
Bonjour-santé, a company based in Boucherville, has introduced a chatbot named BonsAi on its website as a solution to this challenge. Founder Benoit Brunel aims to steer Quebec residents away from relying on search engines like Google or ChatGPT for medical advice.
BonsAi engages in conversations with users, starting by checking for any urgent warning signs to rule out emergencies. It then proceeds to ask questions and propose potential causes for the symptoms, along with recommending suitable healthcare professionals for consultation.
Brunel emphasized that the distinguishing feature of BonsAi is its thorough evaluation process, backed by multiple engines working concurrently to provide accurate information. The chatbot has been trained using a vast database of 30 million medical records to enhance its reliability.
Additionally, BonsAi complies with Quebec’s regulations, ensuring that recommendations align with local healthcare laws. The AI tool is hosted in Montreal, safeguarding user data from potential access under the U.S. Cloud Act.
By empowering individuals to make informed decisions from home, BonsAi aims to reduce unnecessary visits to emergency departments for non-urgent cases. This shift could alleviate the burden on hospitals and create more opportunities for family doctors to accommodate additional patients, thereby optimizing healthcare services in Quebec.
Quebec leads the way in Canada by implementing such an innovative AI solution, although similar concepts are emerging in countries like Sweden, Singapore, and India. Brunel highlighted the absence of established guidelines for healthcare conversational agents but expressed readiness to cooperate with health authorities for scrutiny.
As the healthcare landscape embraces digital innovations, BonsAi stands out as a progressive tool promoting efficient and informed healthcare decision-making among the public.
