Mount Dora, Florida, 2019: AWS machine learning enhances MEDEK telemedicine solution to ease gender bias for sensitive online doctor visits.
Visiting a doctor is personal, and now Medek Health Health Systems (MEDEK) along with Amazon Web Services (AWS) is using AI to make it a bit more comfortable.
Prior to implementing AWS SageMaker, MEDEK patients were assigned providers on a first available basis, so a female patient calling about a sensitive issue could have an uncomfortable conversation with a male provider. Now, using Artificial Intelligence, MEDEK scores each visit request to ensure that patient comfort is part of the provider assignment.
While all MEDEK providers are NCNQ certified (the highest rating for remote telemedicine doctors, PAs and NPs) and have a 97% outcome satisfaction rating, this isn’t enough. Based on long term studies, the gender of a provider is a factor in patient comfort.
"With most telehealth companies, the healthcare provider is randomly assigned. That can be frustrating if the issue is of a gender sensitive nature. With Medek, we will automatically assign a provider that matches your gender if the issue is gender sensitive. That small attention to detail can make the whole visit more comfortable.”
Avi Bhandary, MEDEK Chief Medical Officer
How it Works
The patent pending system builds on MEDEK’s strong technology base of connecting patients with healthcare providers to further enhance the patient comfort experience. Each visit request made via the iOS or Android app is analyzed by the AI for patient gender, location, time of day, stated symptoms and past visits. All data is securely stored within the AWS HIPAA cloud and results are anonymized. MEDEK uses the secure data to make the model better over time leading to a further increase in patient comfort and satisfaction. The provider preference result is presented to the patient and they can accept or choose first available.
“By partnering with Amazon Web Services (AWS) we were able to quickly train our machine learning model, removing complexity and allowing us to deliver personalized health service to our clients.”
Matt Furnari, Medek Chief Software Architect
Bringing Health Care Into the 21st Century
Long waits, high cost and busy schedules keep Americans from wellness, but with MEDEK, 80% of the reasons for visiting an ER or urgent care can be treated over the phone or through the app.With the evolution of AI comes the possibility to disrupt the telemedicine model and offer patients a top-level health service accessible from the comfort of their own home. Business can also take advantage of the First 5 Campaign which is offering free memberships for one year for small businesses.