For over three decades, patients have been using search engines to look up health-related information, often with humorous or concerning results. While this accessibility of information has empowered many, it has also led to unintended consequences such as patients misinterpreting symptoms, developing heightened anxieties, and approaching doctors with preconceived diagnoses that may not be medically sound.

A common example is a patient experiencing a mild tension headache who turns to the internet for answers. A simple Google search might list a brain tumour as a potential cause. While no doctor would dismiss their concern outright, we must ask: how often does a bilateral tension-type headache actually indicate a brain tumour? How many of these patients ultimately require an MRI scan? While patient concerns should always be addressed with care, over-investigation of benign symptoms contributes to unnecessary healthcare spending, increased patient anxiety, and an overburdened system.

This challenge is not new, but the increasing volume of health misinformation online has only worsened it. The rise of “Dr. Google” has placed immense pressure on both patients and doctors, leading to mismanaged expectations, defensive medicine (a critical and growing issue), and inefficient resource utilisation.

The need for evolution: AI as an enabler, not a disruptor

This need to change is not hinged on the suitability of available technology. Healthcare has always needed to evolve. However, until now, we lacked the mature technology to facilitate this evolution in a way that integrates seamlessly into clinical workflows.

Modern transformer-based language models present an opportunity to bridge this gap. Unlike traditional search engines that return a flood of unverified, context-free results, AI models can contextualise information, provide explanations tailored to a patient’s needs, and align with evidence-based guidelines.

As a medical doctor, I see AI not as a force replacing human expertise, but as a tool to enhance decision-making, reduce uncertainty, and optimise patient care.

Also Read: Singapore’s war on obesity: Can hybrid healthcare turn the tide?

The traditional doctor-patient relationship is built on trust, and this must remain intact. AI should not disrupt this relationship but rather support both parties:

For patients, AI provides accurate, structured, and digestible medical knowledge, reducing misinformation and anxiety.
For doctors, AI assists in triage, clinical decision support, and patient education, saving time and improving efficiency.

The rise of shared decision-making (SDM) in healthcare

One of the most important shifts in modern medicine is the move toward shared decision-making (SDM). Patients are no longer passive recipients of medical advice — they are partners in their care. The internet has already empowered them with information, but AI can refine, structure, and personalise this knowledge so that it aligns with medical guidelines.

This shift is particularly significant because:

Patients are more informed than ever before and expect transparency in their healthcare.
Guidelines are always evolving, and AI can help synthesise and deliver the latest evidence in real time.
Many patients are more technologically adept than their doctors, meaning that healthcare must adapt to how information is consumed today.

By putting the right knowledge in the hands of patients, AI can facilitate meaningful discussions between doctors and patients, making medical decisions more collaborative, data-driven, and patient-centred.

Introducing AI health agents: HELF buddy as a game changer

This is where AI health agents come in. They can act as digital companions, guiding patients through their health journeys while ensuring they receive accurate, trustworthy, and structured medical insights.

Also Read: From chatbots to therapists: How AI breaks ground in bridging the mental health care divide

At HELF, we have built HELF Buddy, an AI-powered health assistant designed to:

Enhance patient education by providing evidence-based insights tailored to individual conditions.
Reduce unnecessary healthcare visits by addressing non-urgent concerns with reliable, structured guidance.
Support doctors by improving efficiency, streamlining triage, and reducing administrative burdens.
Strengthen the doctor-patient relationship by ensuring that patients come to consultations informed, with realistic expectations and a better understanding of their health.

Clinical validation: Partnering with SingHealth for AI trials

To ensure that AI truly adds value in healthcare, it must undergo rigorous clinical validation. That’s why HELF has partnered with SingHealth to conduct clinical trials evaluating:

Accuracy: Does AI provide medically sound and evidence-based guidance?
Helpfulness: Does AI improve patient understanding and decision-making?
Usability: How well do both patients and healthcare professionals integrate AI into their workflows?

This partnership marks a significant step toward integrating AI into mainstream healthcare safely, responsibly, and effectively.

The time to act is now

Healthcare is at a turning point. The rise of AI presents an unprecedented opportunity to reshape how medical knowledge is delivered and how healthcare professionals interact with patients.

With AI, we can reduce misinformation, empower patients, and optimise clinical workflows, while preserving the human touch that makes medicine an art as well as a science.

The time is ripe to embrace this transformation. By working together, doctors, patients, and AI, we can redefine the future of healthcare.

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