Healthcare Assistant

Patient-facing agent that remembers medical history and care preferences

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Overview

A healthcare assistant with memory provides continuity of care in digital health interactions. By remembering patient history, preferences, and ongoing conditions, the agent delivers personalized health guidance while knowing when to escalate to human providers.

Memory Domains

Medical History

Comprehensive patient context:

  • Diagnosed conditions and their timeline
  • Medications (current and past)
  • Allergies and adverse reactions
  • Surgical history and procedures
  • Family medical history
  • Care Preferences

    Personalized interaction style:

  • Communication preferences (detail level, language)
  • Preferred pharmacies and providers
  • Appointment time preferences
  • Health goals and motivations
  • Cultural considerations
  • Interaction History

    Continuity across touchpoints:

  • Past symptoms reported and outcomes
  • Questions asked and information provided
  • Appointment history and notes
  • Medication adherence patterns
  • Lifestyle factors discussed
  • Care Plan Context

    Current treatment awareness:

  • Active care plans and goals
  • Upcoming appointments and tests
  • Medication schedules
  • Lifestyle recommendations
  • Follow-up requirements
  • Use Cases

    Symptom Triage

    "I've been having headaches again"

    With memory:

  • Knows patient's migraine history
  • Aware of current medications
  • Remembers triggers identified previously
  • Tracks frequency patterns over time
  • Knows when escalation thresholds are reached
  • Medication Management

    "When should I take my new prescription?"

    With context:

  • Knows all current medications
  • Checks for interactions
  • Remembers patient's schedule preferences
  • Aware of past adherence challenges
  • Can coordinate with care team
  • Appointment Preparation

    "I have a cardiology appointment tomorrow"

    Agent provides:

  • Summary of relevant history
  • List of symptoms to mention
  • Questions patient wanted to ask
  • Recent vitals and trends
  • Medication changes to discuss
  • Chronic Disease Management

    Ongoing condition support:

  • Daily check-ins personalized to condition
  • Trend tracking and anomaly detection
  • Encouragement based on patient's motivators
  • Education tailored to understanding level
  • Coordination with care team
  • Critical Considerations

    Regulatory Compliance

  • HIPAA-compliant data handling
  • Audit trails for all access
  • Patient consent management
  • Data retention policies
  • Business associate agreements
  • Safety Boundaries

    Clear escalation protocols:

  • Emergency symptoms trigger immediate action
  • Never replace clinical judgment
  • Transparent about AI limitations
  • Direct to human care when needed
  • Document all recommendations
  • Accuracy Requirements

    Healthcare demands precision:

  • Source all medical information
  • Flag uncertainty appropriately
  • Avoid definitive diagnoses
  • Update with new medical guidance
  • Regular accuracy audits
  • Example Interaction

    **Regular Check-in:**

    Agent: "Good morning, Maria! Time for your daily diabetes check-in. How are you feeling today?"

    Patient: "A bit tired, and my feet have been tingling"

    Agent: "I want to make sure we track this carefully. You mentioned similar tingling two weeks ago that resolved. On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate it compared to last time? Also, I see your glucose readings have been slightly elevated this week. Have there been any changes to your diet or medication routine?"

    Patient: "Maybe a 4, similar to before. And yes, I ran out of metformin for two days"

    Agent: "Thank you for sharing that. The medication gap likely explains the glucose elevation. I've noted the tingling for Dr. Chen to review - persistent tingling can be important to monitor with diabetes. I see you have an appointment in 10 days; would you like me to flag this for earlier review, or do you feel comfortable waiting given it's similar to before?"

    Integration Requirements

  • EHR systems (Epic, Cerner)
  • Patient portals
  • Pharmacy systems
  • Lab result feeds
  • Wearable device data