Oz Medicann Group (OMG) is introducing a virtual healthcare companion to Australia, designed to provide patients with personalised medical support at any hour of the day.
Known as Ask Sam, the tool is built on advanced artificial intelligence technology and will be made available to doctors, clinics and patients nationwide.
Ask Sam comes with a choice of male or female avatar based on user preference, and can function either as an AI assistant for GPs or as a personal companion for individual patients, according to OMG.
For medical practitioners, the technology handles administrative duties including appointment reminders and collecting regulatory information. For patients, it is available around the clock, offering tailored advice drawn from each user's medical history.
Although its initial application centres on medicinal cannabis, the technology can be adapted for use across other areas of healthcare.
"It's mind blowing," OMG chief executive John Leith said. "This will revolutionise the way healthcare is delivered."
OMG is bringing the technology to market through a strategic joint venture with United We Care, a technology firm operating out of the US and India that focuses on the healthcare sector, with a particular emphasis on mental health.
In the US, the technology operates under the name Stella and is already being used by an estimated 500,000 people.
Australian users will be able to customise the accent and appearance of their avatar, and the platform is capable of translating information across 26 languages.
"If you happen to be in Korea, it will translate to a local doctor everything they need know about a patient's medical history and what medication they are on," Leith said.
Sam will also send medication reminders, provide information on drug interactions and arrange repeat prescription orders with pharmacies.
The avatar will not diagnose medical conditions, but it will offer guidance based on symptoms reported by patients and can summon emergency medical assistance when necessary.
"If you wake up at 3am with palpitations after taking a particular medication, you can ask Sam if you should be feeling this way," explained Leith. "Sam will know whether that is a side effect of the drug and put your mind at rest or, depending on what the patient says, detect the need to call an ambulance. Any time, day or night, you can converse with Sam."
Leith also pointed to another practical application: Sam could generate prescriptions and medicinal cannabis authorisation forms for patients who are stopped by police or subjected to a roadside breath test.
The system will even have visibility over pharmacy stock levels and hold product details down to strain type.
"Sam has swallowed an encyclopedia of medicine," Leith said.
Oz Medicann will offer free trials of the technology to interested Australian doctors and clinics.
