The healthdirect Symptom Checker has been enhanced to make it easier for consumers to access existing and new services in the health system that are most appropriate for their needs.
Australians use the online healthdirect Symptom Checker to enter their non-personally identifiable health information, symptoms and risk factors and are provided a recommendation for the health care they need. The Symptom Checker has been helping Australians find health information and advice for over 10 years and is used 2 million times each year.
Healthdirect Australia upgraded the Symptom Checker in December 2023 to bring AI into the tool. This improved its ability to take into account multiple symptoms, risk factors and lifestyle considerations, and provide more accurate triage and connection to the appropriate service.
This cutting-edge AI inference engine (powered by Infermedica) leverages Bayesian probabilistic logic to support its risk stratification algorithms. Healthdirect spent 12 months tailoring the model for Australia, and another 12 months using the tool on the helpline where a registered nurse validated the result every time it was used, supported by additional quality assurance undertaken by in-house clinical governance medical teams. Healthdirect's AI Transparency Statement provides more information on how AI is used and monitored.
Technical and clinical enhancements to the tool, combined with improvements to the user experience and the introduction of AI have resulted in a 35% increase in completion rates for the Symptom Checker (rising from 49% to 84%). This ensures users receive clinical advice on which part of the health system they require or whether they can look after themselves safely at home.
Healthdirect Australia Chief Operating Officer, Travis Hodgson, says, "Recent updates to the online healthdirect Symptom Checker enable users to input multiple symptoms and risk factors including medical history and travel history. Additional details about symptom occurrence and severity improve the engine's precision in assessing clinical risk, triaging and recommending the appropriate care. The next phase of development includes a web chat layer, which will undergo clinical and consumer co-design, and rigorous clinical validation and testing.
"In parallel, Healthdirect is advancing the required governance with relevant agencies to allow the expansion of functionality and use cases within AI and software-as-a-medical-device governance frameworks, which are currently being developed by industry, government, clinicians and consumers," says Mr Hodgson.
Triage outcomes from the symptom checker have been mapped to the scopes of practice for pharmacies, GPs, urgent care clinics, virtual and physical EDs to provide the most clinically appropriate care recommendation.
This is overlaid with an innovative system developed by Healthdirect Australia that refines the eligibility criteria by taking into account the time and location of the user, along with jurisdictional health system variances. This additional layer of sophistication means the Symptom Checker only recommends care pathways that are available and clinically appropriate.
Consumers are then seamlessly linked to the healthdirect Service Finder, the consumer interface to the National Health Services Directory, a core piece of digital health infrastructure, to locate their preferred clinic or practice, see real-time appointment availability and make a booking.
"Consumers are now using the Symptom Checker twice as much as our helpline to get advice and connection to care. This shows the willingness of Australians to use digital options in health when they are well designed.
"We see trends in some demographics and symptoms where the Symptom Checker is used most such as women aged 20-39 seeking help for abdominal and back pain and men aged between 20-39 enquiring about mental health symptoms, and younger generations looking for advice on sexual health and services.
"It opens up choices to consumers that they may not have even known were available for example urgent care clinics that have opened in their area, local GP or pharmacy services and, in some states, seamless connection to virtual emergency departments where appropriate," said Mr Hodgson.
Harry Iles-Mann, a highly respected health consumer advocate, says, "It can feel overwhelming trying to access what is often a really complex health system. Figuring out whether to go to an emergency department, urgent care service, see your doctor or manage symptoms at home isn't always an easy choice to make, either.
"The healthdirect Symptom Checker is a simple, safe and helpful solution to this challenge. It acts as a digital front door to Australia's wide range of healthcare services, guiding consumers, carers and family to the most appropriate care for their specific needs. Being able to anonymously access support using a tool like this is also really important to ensure that people experiencing vulnerability, marginalisation and stigma feel safe and have their privacy protected.
"By providing clarity and confidence in knowing which care to seek, when and where its available in real-time, the Symptom Checker helps take the guesswork out of the decision-making process and supports people to find the care that's right for them," says Mr Iles-Mann.
The Symptom Checker also has the potential to take pressure off areas of high demand, such as emergency departments. By offering urgent care as an option in communities where they are available, consumers have a choice of what help to seek when their symptoms are urgent but not life-threatening.
This helps clinicians to see more patients with symptoms and level of acuity suited to their scope of practice.
As state-based virtual EDs are added as potential care pathway recommendations from the healthdirect Symptom Checker, the tool will provide a seamless gateway to care options, particularly those that operate in the after-hours when many primary care services are unavailable.
Travis Hodgson, Healthdirect's Chief Operating Officer, reflected on the organisation's growth since its creation following a COAG resolution in 2006, when it began as the National Health Contact Centre Network. "In the early days, the focus was on providing consumer health information - helping people decide when to visit the emergency department versus seeing a GP, promoting health literacy, and supporting population health initiatives. Over time, our role has evolved significantly. In the mid-2010s, we integrated digital channels, launching our first online symptom checker in 2014.
Our most transformative period came during the pandemic, where we not only accelerated the development and adoption of digital channels within the community but also established deeper integrations with primary and community care. This shift has enabled Healthdirect to transform from being a health advisory service to a facilitator of connected and integrated care."
Dr. Walid Jamal, a respected Sydney-based GP known for his contributions to national health reform and integration of care, stated, "It's encouraging to see that as Healthdirect continues to evolve its service offerings within the health ecosystem, it remains committed to the importance of patients having and registering with a regular GP. I commend Healthdirect for the work they have done since COVID to facilitate near real-time information exchange with patients' regular GP following after-hours consults ensuring continuity of care, ongoing management and promoting transparency between care teams. Their Symptom Checker, supported by ongoing clinical validation, offers a pragmatic and user-centred opportunity to assist consumers to navigate Australia's complex health and care system."
Usage trends for the healthdirect Symptom Checker, since July 2024
- 72% female
- Highest age group usage: 2029-year-olds
- Most common symptoms: Fatigue, headache, nausea, sore throat, cough, tired, runny nose, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, fever.
- Most common recommendation: See a GP (48.5%)
- Percentage of return users: 41%
- Highest-use time of day: 9pm