- AI healthcare assistant links more than 2,000 hospitals across Zhejiang
- National version has surpassed 100 million users across China
A medical AI assistant jointly developed by Zhejiang provincial health authorities and Ant Group was showcased at the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva, as China is actievly promoting its AI-driven healthcare systems on the global stage.
The system, known as “Angel” in English and “Anzhen’er” (安诊儿) in Chinese, was presented during the May 18-23 gathering at the World Health Organization headquarters as part of a side event co-hosted by China, Brazil, South Africa, Thailand and other countries on building more accessible healthcare systems in the digital era.
Developed by Zhejiang Health Commission and Ant Group, the AI medical agent platform provides more than 40 healthcare services spanning pre-diagnosis consultation, clinical treatment and post-treatment management.
Functions include appointment assistance, AI interpretation of medical reports, digital-twin physician services and family doctor support.
Since launching in November 2023, the system has expanded to more than 2,000 hospitals and recorded over 200 million user interactions, according to organizers.
One in every three
Officials said roughly one in every three Zhejiang residents has used the service, helping reduce average hospital visit times by about 20 minutes. Reported user satisfaction rates reached 98%.
During the assembly, the platform was highlighted as an example of a “human-machine collaborative” healthcare model.
Based on the Zhejiang experience, a national version of the healthcare AI system, known as Ant Afu, has also been rolled out across China through a national AI healthcare pilot program incubated in Zhejiang.
Afu now ranks as the most downloaded digital healthcare apps in China’s App Store.
Accessible healthcare services
At a May 22 press briefing, Li Chao, spokesperson for China’s National Development and Reform Commission, singled out the app for praise, saying it has surpassed 100 million users nationwide and answers more than 10 million health-related questions daily.
The system has already been deployed in medical institutions across more than 10 provinces and cities, according to Li.
According to market research, more than 55% of Ant Afu users come from third-tier cities and smaller regions, allowing rural and township residents to access professional healthcare consultation services through smartphones.
The Zhejiang-based Angel system and the national Ant Afu platform have now been integrated. Users in Zhejiang can switch directly into the localized Angel service mode through the Ant Afu app, Angel app or Alipay mini-program to access more personalized healthcare services, Chinese media reported.
