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AI-powered symptom checker to become a digital health partner for customers
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86%
of surveyed users were satisfied with the assessment of their symptoms
76%
of surveyed users intend to follow their self-care recommendation
16%
of surveyed users changed their intention and want to follow the recommendations
About Techniker Krankenkasse
Techniker Krankenkasse (TK), the largest health insurance company in the German healthcare market, is working with Infermedica to offer its customers a digital, evidence-based and individual initial assessment of their health with the help of the symptom checker. In the first year, around 27,000 interviews were carried out, with 86% of users surveyed satisfied with the initial assessment of their symptoms. TK was thus able to strengthen its role as a digital healthcare partner that supports its insured experiencing health problems or medical questions - anytime and anywhere.
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The TK-App alone, with digital health insurance services and access to the electronic medical record "TK-Safe", has been downloaded over 6 million times. More and more digital services and comprehensive care offerings have contributed to TK being named "Germany's best health insurance fund" for the 18th time in a health insurance comparison.1
The TK-Doc-App is one of these care solutions. It offers customers quick help with medical questions. In addition to the Infermedica symptom checker, the TK-Doc-App offers other tools such as a Laboratory value checker and ICD-10 search, as well as medical advice services from the “TK-MediCall” team and online consultations for remote medical treatment. With such networked, cooperative approaches, TK is striving to shape future-oriented care.
- 11.6 million insured people
- over 240,000 downloads of the TK-Doc-App
- 27,000 symptom checks in the pilot year
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The challenge: supporting customers having medical issues digitally at any time
The TK-Doc-App that launched in 2019 covered many of the needs of TK customers seeking medical advice. However, customer surveys showed a growing need for low-threshold information services and individual support before seeking medical care. For this reason, the health insurer wanted to further develop its innovative range of services in collaboration with Infermedica.
With the introduction of a symptom checker, the TK set itself the following goals in order to strengthen its role as a health partner for its customers:
Expansion of digital healthcare services
TK wanted to expand its portfolio of digital services with the symptom checker supporting its insured at any time with their healthcare using the TK-Doc-App. The symptom checker is intended to facilitate the entry into digital care and be the starting point for a seamless healthcare journey providing additional information and care services.
Improving customers' health literacy
With a digital tool within the TK-Doc-App, TK wanted to offer its customers an easily accessible, reliable source of information as an alternative to internet search engines and unchecked, unstructured information.
Individual, data-based decision support
The results of the symptom checker, which are based on a medical knowledge database developed by Infermedica and artificial intelligence, are intended to help people make better decisions and find the right care based on individually entered data. Data collected by Infermedica in previous projects shows that three-quarters of users of the symptom checker do not know what care they need at the outset.
Schedule a meeting to see a demo of this symptom checker
The solution: patient empowerment for customers through digital symptom analysis
TK decided to implement Infermedica's AI-based symptom checker as a tool in its existing TK-Doc-App for insured people. Thanks to the iFrame solution, Infermedica's product integrates seamlessly into the insurer's own app.
The symptom checker can then be used at any time from the TK-Doc-App without having to log in again. With the new analysis tool, customers can check their symptoms around the clock in German or English and use other health insurance services as recommended.
Step 1
The symptom checker is available via the TK-Doc-App.
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Step 2
Before the symptom analysis is carried out, the users agree to the terms of use and the privacy policy.
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Step 3
The symptom analysis is carried out in just a few minutes.
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Step 4
The results show the possible causes of symptoms and their probability and provide members with an individual recommendation for care.
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Step 5
For a potential doctor's visit, customers can save their results report as a PDF document or share it directly in the app with the live chat or video consultation of the “TK-MediCall” team and the remote medical treatment.
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The results: surveyed users are satisfied with the symptom checker's assessment
Customers have been able to use the symptom checker for free since November 2022. Over 27,000 symptom checks were carried out in the first 12 months. The function has been well received by insured people, as demonstrated by continuous use. With Infermedica's technology, the health insurance company is strengthening its role as a digital health partner. The health insurer decided to continue the one-year pilot project in order to continue offering customers the practical, digital solution in the TK-Doc-App.
Infermedica's technology for digital care management has met TK's expectations to date by achieving the goals it set:
Expansion of digital healthcare services
With the symptom checker, the health insurer has expanded its TK-Doc-App into a digital platform that serves the individual needs of insured people. Implementation has led to a further increase in the use of the app. And by linking the application with other consultation and treatment services within the TK-Doc-App, digital patient journeys can be initiated.
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86%
of users surveyed stated that they were satisfied with the symptom assessment
Improving customers' health literacy
As a Class I medical device, the symptom checker provides evidence-based, doctor-approved information that is easily accessible at all times in the TK-Doc-App and thus in the health insurer's secure ecosystem. The tool can thus improve the health literacy of customers by providing relevant health information and helping to reduce uncertainty about possible conditions.
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76%
of surveyed users intent to follow the self-care recommendation
Promotion of data-based care management
In the dynamic interview and the AI-based analysis, the symptom checker takes individually entered data into account. As a result, customers receive an individual evaluation and help in deciding between self-care and seeking medical treatment. The symptom checker classifies the urgency of care and can also recognize emergencies. The technology and Infermedica's medical team ensure that the care recommendations are highly accurate. Around 20% of TK users received the recommendation for self-care. Of these, 76% of users surveyed intended to follow the recommendation instead of consulting a doctor. For common illnesses, the symptom checker links to information and offers from the health insurance company.
0.000+
interviews finished in the first year
0%
of users downloaded results
0:47 min
average interview time
0%
of users surveyed change their initial intention and plan to follow the recommendation
0%
of surveyed users would definitely use the symptom checker, 36% would probably use it again
0%
of users received a recommendation for self-treatment
Implemented solutions
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