NUHS, Bot MD's SGDormBot tested in six worker dorms

This will help doctors monitor the health of migrant workers in dorms in real time.

AI-powered chatbot SGDormBot, developed by the National University Health System (NUHS) and AI healthcare startup Bot MD, has been put to use at six migrant worker dormitories in Singapore, according to a statement.

It is currently used at the six dormitories NUHS’ medical care, namely Sungei Tengah Lodge, Tuas South Dormitory, Acacia Lodge, Kian Teck Hostel, Kian Teck Dormitory and SCM Tuas Lodge. The platform is said to allow doctors to monitor residents’ health in real time and intervene quickly when necessary.

NUHS said that even though isolation facilities for migrant workers have been expanded, significant numbers of migrant workers who have been diagnosed or suspected to have COVID-19 continue to be housed in dormitories, where on-site medical coverage is available for only for certain hours of a day.

The bot reminds infected residents in the dorms to monitor their temperature, heart rate and oxygen levels, using their native language, and is widely available in social messaging applications such as WhatsApp. The bot will send NUHS clinicians an instant SMS alert whenever there are abnormal vital signs reported, allowing them to intervene quickly through telehealth consultations.

Since its launch in late April in Tuas South Dormitory, more than 90% of infected residents in NUHS-managed dormitories have logged their vital signs daily. Nearly 500 alerts have been triggered and close to 100 teleconsultations have been held as a result, with the aid of layman volunteer translators.

Of these teleconsultations, more than 20 residents have been identified for earlier medical review and 11 cases were escalated to hospitals for further treatment.