Healthily Smart Symptom Checker accuracy update and eye-opening user survey results

• V3 AI Smart Symptom Checker (SSC) is launched, setting a foundation for more accurate and quicker assessments in the future
• A Healthily consumer survey of 3,000 women in the US and UK reveals 80% of women feel more confident if AI in a symptom checker has the backing of real-life doctors
• Women are demonstrating a greater trust in AI, and the use of symptom checkers is linked to them feeling more confident to manage health at home with tech support

Healthily is the creator of an AI platform that’s transforming healthcare. With its cutting-edge technology, Healthily seamlessly blends symptom checking, search capabilities and medically verified content, delivering the most advanced solution to healthcare consumers seeking answers and medical organizations looking to manage patient demand with unmatched efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

The company has now launched V3 of its Smart Symptom Checker (SSC) – an updated version of its device.

With a substantially enhanced symptom model, V3 allows for more detailed medical data and offers users a more logically structured consultation, with an improved user interface (UI).

The launch follows a survey conducted by Healthily of 3,000 women in the US and UK aged 25-55 (its primary consumer audience). Almost 8 out of 10 respondents in both countries agreed that using AI for tailored health information works best if supported by the input of real-life doctors.

Accuracy was also found to be a driver, with 35% of respondents stating that they need to be able to trust a symptom checker to be accurate in order to start using it regularly.

Healthily’s combined team of AI scientists and medical experts had already built a product that was celebrated for its accuracy and backed by research.

The AI SSC was one of the first self-care apps with Class I medical device status in the EU – meaning it met the EU's Medical Devices Directive requirements. Today, it’s self-certified as a Class I medical device for both the EU and UK markets, showing compliance with the latest EU and UK medical device legislations.

“Version 3 builds on that accuracy and safety, allowing users to keep increasing trust in our SSC product, but also in the AI healthtech sector,” says Gareth Thomas, Healthily Chief Technology Officer.

With the storm around ChatGPT, trust in AI has been a talking point. Healthily confidently points out that having one medically verified data set allows users to trust its AI. The SSC gives users guidance based on data that’s been inputted into the software by Healthily doctors.

“The data we have has been created by our doctors over 7 years,” explains Thomas. “We believe this makes our product trustworthy, and one of the most comprehensive and accurate in the market.

“And as our survey shows, more people are putting their trust in AI symptom checkers to help guide and navigate their health decisions and choices.”

Healthily’s AI technology has been designed with users in mind, being upfront and clear about how the systems work and what is done with users’ data – and including the world’s first AI Explainability Statement.

The SSC has helped millions feel reassured about what their next step could be – whether it’s doing self-care or seeking medical help. And our survey shows that symptom checkers help reassure women, with 61% saying they would feel more confident about self-care at home with the support of a symptom checker.

“Healthily hopes that by being transparent about the technology and providing users with accurate and structured information, more people will trust AI and utilize its potential to improve their health,” says Thomas.

“AI is supporting the health service in a number of ways, from helping to manage operations to quickly identifying what a symptom may signify,” says Dr Andras Meczner, Healthily VP Medical and Clinical Safety Officer. “We should embrace technology and not feel threatened. With people living longer, and our stress-ridden, desk-bound lifestyles demanding more from the health service, time-saving help and support should be welcomed.”

As well as saving time, saving money is a consideration. When asked what would persuade them to use a symptom checker, 31.6% of the women surveyed said they would use it if it saved them money. In the US, this figure rose to 43.5%.

Nearly half of the women surveyed said they would use a symptom checker to help them prepare and get information for a doctor’s appointment. And more than a third said they would use a symptom checker to get accurate information so that they could self-care at home.

"Our AI symptom checker and technology doesn’t replace healthcare professionals,” says Thomas. “But it can go a long way to making their life easier – which is important, when resources are limited.”
www.livehealthily.com

For more information or an interview with Professor Baker, contact Mars Webb at mars@marswebbpr.co.uk or Fiona Bugler at the Healthily Press Office at press@your.md.

Survey results from Attest