Healthdirect, Infermedica launch ChatGPT health pilot for Australians

Healthdirect Australia is working with Infermedica, Skin Analytics, AWS and DEPT® on a proof-of-concept that would surface trusted health guidance inside ChatGPT for Australian users. The pilot combines clinical triage, skin cancer screening and nurse handoff tools, with an early focus on safety, governance and access. Why it matters: - The pilot aims to give Australians health guidance inside a tool many already use, while adding clinical safeguards and local health information. - The collaboration could make it easier for people to check symptoms, get next-step advice and reach a nurse or doctor without leaving ChatGPT. - The project also tests how public health services can meet users where they already are, rather than forcing them into a separate app or phone line. What happened: - Healthdirect Australia announced a collaboration with Infermedica, Skin Analytics, AWS and DEPT® to bring Healthdirect into ChatGPT. - The proof of concept is starting with an invited group of consumers. - The pilot is designed to inform governance, monitoring and safeguards before any wider release. - The experience is available through the free version of ChatGPT. - Healthdirect says the service will remain available to Australians who need access to Healthdirect nurses and doctors. The details: - When a user invokes Healthdirect in ChatGPT, the system will ask a few short, clinically validated questions before offering guidance. - Infermedica’s triage technology is intended to look for warning signs and recommend whether symptoms can be managed at home or need escalation. - Users will be able to switch to an Australian Healthdirect nurse at any point, with a seamless handoff from the chat. - Guidance will draw on Healthdirect’s clinically assured content and trusted partners. - The experience will also surface nearby services, available appointments and booking options through Healthdirect. - Healthdirect will evaluate quality against clinical benchmarks and safeguards. - The collaboration uses open standards so the experience can expand to other AI assistants over time, not just ChatGPT. - Healthdirect retains the clinical logic, content and data governance within its secure AWS cloud environment. - AWS is providing infrastructure and technical support. - DEPT®, Healthdirect’s digital product partner, is designing and building the ChatGPT experience. - Healthdirect says the collaboration supports governments’ commitment to free health advice and services for Australians. Between the lines: - The deal reflects a push to make general-purpose AI safer for healthcare use, where confident but wrong answers can create real harm. - Healthdirect is trying to keep clinical control inside a consumer interface owned by a third-party AI platform. - The pilot also signals how health systems may use AI to triage demand before a person reaches a clinician. - The skin-check feature suggests the partners want the pilot to go beyond text advice and into practical action. - Healthdirect says the project is being built with awareness that generative AI can present inaccurate information confidently. What’s next: - The invited-user pilot will shape the service’s safeguards, monitoring and governance. - The collaboration will test how well Australians understand the limits of health advice delivered through an AI interface. - If expanded, the model could reach other AI assistants and more users across Australia. - Skin Analytics’ consumer phone-only skin cancer screening version is still awaiting Australian TGA registration. - The pilot could broaden if the clinical, technical and regulatory pieces line up. The bottom line: - Healthdirect is betting that trusted clinical guidance can live inside ChatGPT without giving up safety, oversight or access to human care.