B-046 Curious Thing, an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Based Conversational Agents in COVID-19 Patient Management

Abstract

Abstract Background There are no clear guidelines or validated models for artificial intelligence (AI) based approaches in monitoring of COVID-19 patients who were isolated in the community, in order to identify early deterioration of their health symptoms. Methods Developed in partnership with Curious Thing (CT), Sydney-based AI conversational technology, a new care robot technology was introduced in South Western Sydney (SWS) in September 2021 to manage the large numbers of low to medium risk patients with a COVID-19 diagnosis and isolated at home. The CT interface made contact with patients via their mobile phone, following a locally produced script to obtain information recording physical condition, wellness and support. Results Between 2nd September to 14th December 2021, there were 32 001 conversations (every phone call that resulted in a conversation with a patient) conducted with 6323 unique patients (patients included in call lists identified by phone number) engaged. Over half of the completed calls (n = 13 143, 53.7%) identified that individuals needed no further support (freeing up valuable clinician time). 4.24% (n = 1077) identified as needing urgent support (getting to them faster than a standard clinician dialling pattern). The AI assisted phone calls effectively identified the patients requiring further support, saved clinician time by monitoring less ailing patients remotely and enabled them to spend more time on critically ill patients, thus ensured that service and supply resources could be directed to those at greatest need. Conclusion Based on the severity of the COVID-19, different approaches have been adopted by the healthcare professionals for handling the patients in the most effective manner. This paper describes the AI assisted conversational agent which can act as an alternate approach to identify the deteriorating patients requiring further support while they are isolated at home. The findings are intended to inform policy makers and health professionals about the implications of the use of these AI-based technologies for the management of current or any future pandemic.