Voice-activated healthdirect Flu Advice app continues exploration into new digital channels

Health consumers can access free health information and advice on colds and flu this winter by having a conversation with their smart device, as Healthdirect Australia launches its second voice-activated health app, healthdirect Flu Advice.

Healthdirect Australia has developed its digital portfolio to include health support tools, including an online symptom checker and question builder, and provides health information via conversational interfaces such as chatbot and voice apps, in addition to its popular website.

Launched on Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa in time for the predicted peak of flu season – traditionally July-August each year ­– the healthdirect Flu Advice app is is an example of how Healthdirect Australia is using innovation to explore new digital channels for providing health information and advice.

Andrew Bryant, general manager of consumer health services at Healthdirect Australia, says, "Our goal is to provide accessible health information and advice to all Australians to help them better manage their health.

"To do that effectively, our health information needs to be easily found in the places where people go looking, and that means we need many more digital touch-points than a only a website. 

"With the recent introduction of voice-activated home devices we’re taking the opportunity to explore and test how health topics work on these conversational-style channels," says Andrew.

healthdirect Flu Advice provides bite-sized information related to colds, flus and vaccinations, as well as real-time data about the current flu risk levels in each state and territory.

"There are benefits to providing health information this way. Being hands-free means parents or carers are able to ask questions and receive advice while attending to a child or another person," says Andrew.

"For people with disabilities, it can be a friendlier interface than a screen reader, and can increase accessibility for those who have mobility, vision and/or cognitive impairment."

Flu Advice app is the second iteration of Healthdirect Australia’s exploration into voice apps; at the time of its launch in January 2018, Summer Health was the first voice-activated health app developed by an Australian company.

"We were very happy with how the Summer Health app performed and it’s delivered some valuable insights into how users behave in this channel which will inform our ongoing content strategy," says Andrew.

healthdirect Flu Advice is available through conversational interfaces such as Google Home, Amazon Echo and via a chatbot on Facebook Messenger.

To access healthdirect Flu Advice, say the following phrases:

• Google devices: "Hey Google, talk to healthdirect Flu Advice"
• Amazon devices: "Alexa, Launch healthdirect Flu Advice"

Instant messenger chat bot: Visit the healthdirect Flu Advice Facebook page.