Introduction
The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare and insurance is revolutionizing the industry, reducing misdiagnoses, speeding up disease detection, and personalizing medical care. This transformation is expected to grow in the coming years.
AI’s Impact on Healthcare and Insurance
Alejandro Surid Córdova Sánchez, Director of Technology and Digital Transformation at Bupa Mexico, explained in an interview with El Economista that new tools like AI are causing significant disruption within the healthcare and insurance sectors. The adoption of these technologies will primarily benefit end-users.
Empowering Users and Streamlining Processes
“AI allows us to deliver more value, enabling users to have greater self-service capabilities and faster access to our services,” Surid Córdova Sánchez said. “It also helps us streamline internal processes, which is crucial to understand: AI in the healthcare and insurance sectors currently complements human roles rather than replacing them.”
Facial Recognition Technology
According to the executive, Bupa is utilizing various technologies that help provide better and timely care to their clients. One such technology is a mobile app using AI for facial scanning of patients.
Facial Scanning App
The app performs a facial scan of the patient and, if abnormal values are detected, it urgently refers the user to a specialist. The app is available for download on iOS and Android stores and is accessible to all Bupa clients.
- The app can measure temperature, body mass index, blood pressure, and assess the risk of cardiovascular diseases or strokes based on systolic and diastolic readings with high precision.
- Preventive, daily access to this information through a mobile device facilitates timely, accurate, and immediate medical attention.
- If the app detects any abnormal parameter during facial scanning, it offers a video consultation with a specialist to expedite diagnoses.
Voice Recognition Technology
Surid Córdova Sánchez also mentioned another tool that uses AI to identify abnormal situations through voice recognition.
Voice Recognition in Customer Service
“Our contact center can now identify the emotions of our users, whether they exhibit aggressive behavior or negative emotional indices. This information helps our agents tailor their approach and offer the best service,” he explained.
In operational terms, natural language processing is employed to streamline back-office processes and improve customer service.
- AI can process various documents, including handwritten ones from agents or clients, and input the information into core applications, simplifying tasks significantly.
- Repetitive tasks will soon be delegated to AI, allowing healthcare specialists to focus on high-value activities like medical diagnoses.
- In claims processing, robots are already in use, reducing processing time by 25% to 30% depending on the channel (official websites or email).
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the main goal of integrating AI in healthcare and insurance? The primary objective is to make healthcare and medical care more efficient, agile, and timely through preventive care and treatment.
- How does facial recognition technology benefit users? It allows for quick, accurate measurements of vital signs and risk assessments for various health conditions. Users receive immediate referrals to specialists if abnormalities are detected.
- What role does voice recognition play in customer service? It helps identify user emotions, enabling agents to provide tailored and effective support.
- How does AI streamline back-office processes? Natural language processing and robotics automate document handling, data entry, and claims processing, reducing time and human error.
