Zhejiang recently became the first province in China to launch a province-wide AI-powered digital health assistant. The Provincial Health Commission introduced the artificial intelligence assistant, known as Anzhener or Angel, in partnership with Alipay, a leading Chinese mobile payment service provider.

Powered by artificial intelligence, big data and advanced models, Anzhener offers cloud-based medical escort services, health consultations and health management. The Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital has fully integrated the digital health assistant into its operations, serving as a model for other hospitals in the province. Patients can access Anzhener via a mini-app on Alipay.

"When a patient comes to our hospital for cardiology services, they can use Anzhener to navigate to the hospital and then switch to in-hospital navigation," said Yuan Fang, director of outpatient services at the hospital. "Anzhener guides the patient through the entire process, including providing instructions such as where to collect medication."

Patients also receive real-time reminders of medical examinations and appointment updates, reducing confusion and stress during hospital visits. Around 90,000 patients used Anzhener last month and the hospital sent over 535,700 appointment reminders. The real-time navigation feature helped over 7,000 patients, saving an average of 15 minutes per visit, and up to two hours for out-of-town patients or those with elderly or young dependents.

The success of Anzhener has led to its deployment in more than 1,000 medical institutions across Zhejiang, serving nearly 5 million people with a satisfaction rate of 98 percent. The system has cut the workload at hospital information desks by half.

"This technology is transforming the patient experience," Yuan said. "However, the biggest challenge remains ensuring that AI is user-friendly and adaptable to real-world scenarios, requiring continuous fine-tuning based on user feedback."

Patients have also praised the system.

"My children are busy at work, so I have to manage on my own," said Shen Kaijian, a patient interviewed by China Blue News. "If I have health issues, I don't know which department to register with, but with Anzhener, I can handle it myself."

Alipay's digital health division has announced plans to expand Anzhener's services to cover inpatient, physical examination and emergency scenarios, ensuring full coverage of healthcare processes. Alipay has also launched an "AI Health Manager", offering over 30 medical services, including doctor searches and medical report interpretation.

chenye@chinadaily.com.cn