Babylon Health

IBM Watson cuts back on drug discovery, Redox's $33M Series C and more digital health news briefs

By Dave Muoio 03:38 pm April 18, 2019

Door closes on drug discovery. IBM is tapering off sales of its Watson for Drug Discovery product in favor of other healthcare offerings using the AI technology, STAT reported this morning. The decision was made in response to weak demand and purchases from customers. "We are focusing our resources within Watson Health to double down on the adjacent field of clinical development where we see an...

Above photo: Dr. Ali Parsa, Founder & CEO of Babylon Health. Credit: Babylon Health

Moving from 'sick care' to prevention over cure with technology

By Dean Koh 02:16 am April 16, 2019

With the ambitious mission to put an accessible and affordable health service in the hands of every person on earth, Babylon Health, an AI-powered smartphone app, was founded in January 2013 and launched to the public in April 2014. The company’s app, available on iOS and Android devices, allows users to book a video consultation with a doctor or a therapist, send photo or text messages to get...

Babylon's triage chatbot launches in British Columbia

By Dave Muoio 01:27 pm March 7, 2019

Babylon’s triage chatbot and virtual confirmation platform has come to Canada’s British Columbia in the form of a newly launch telehealth app, Babylon by Telus Health. The tool allows users to describe their symptoms to the text-based bot, video consult with a licensed practitioner, and store and easily access consultation notes or other information. The app is the result of a partnership...

Babylon will double its London team, target chronic disease with $100M investment

By Leontina Postelnicu 09:19 am September 14, 2018

Babylon has announced that it is investing $100 million (75 million pounds) to double its London team of scientists and engineers, expand its capabilities, and apply artificial intelligence to assist with management of chronic diseases. Babylon CEO and founder Dr. Ali Parsa said the investment was a "strategic catalyst in helping to support and foster the necessary R&D ecosystem for Britain...

Babylon’s GP at Hand smartphone app.

UK health chiefs block controversial app for patient safety concerns

By Tonya Stewart 12:08 pm August 22, 2018

The roll out of a controversial smartphone app in Birmingham — the UK’s second largest city — is still being blocked this week despite the publication of a report that shows that the software “advances equality of access to GP services.” The GP at Hand app claims to reduce pressure on primary care and hospitals, yet is being blocked from expanding in the city following concerns about patient...

UK practitioner organization, Twitter influencers dispute Babylon Health's strong performance claims

By Dave Muoio 02:00 pm June 28, 2018

Babylon Health’s announcement yesterday that its triage chatbot outperformed doctors in a simulated version of the UK’s Member of the Royal College of General Practitioners (MRCGP) exam made waves, but maybe not the type that the company had initially hoped for. During a livestream, the company said that its AI recorded an 81 percent score on the recreated test, 9 percent higher than the average...

Babylon's AI passes mockup of UK's GP exam, goes head-to-head with doctors

By Jonah Comstock 01:38 pm June 27, 2018

Correction: A previous version of this article misstated Babylon's total funding. Babylon Health, one of a number of companies working on triage chatbots for health, has already made a name for itself with a high-profile partnership with the UK’s National Health Service, as well as with investment rounds totalling $85 million. Now the startup says its AI can pass England’s GP exam and go head-to-...