Subject category:
Strategy and General Management
Published by:
Amity Research Centers
Length: 10 pages
Data source: Published sources
Abstract
The Iranian-born ex-banker Ali Parsa (Parsa) floated healthcare technology startup Babylon Health (Babylon) mainly on the strength of a highly rated app of the company, which was claimed to have allowed British patients to communicate with a doctor in an unprecedentedly speedy way. That was considered a game-changer even in a country with state-run healthcare having brought top-class medical services to all its citizens, though at the cost of allegedly long waits for clinic visits spanning weeks. Parsa's healthcare vision was to use artificial intelligence rather than costly clinical staff, and a chatbot was the main driver in his effort to speed up healthcare besides drastically reducing healthcare cost. But critics as well as doctors inside Babylon were apprehensive concerning an alleged problem with the chatbot's advice, which was often wrong. Besides, the company had allegedly rushed to deploy software without careful vetting besides exaggerating its efficacy. Still, Babylon's chatbot was hoped to work out a way to reduce costs associated with the services offered under the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK. The claim for cutting down emergency room visits was also considered a logical step in view of high existing per visit cost to the NHS. In such a scenario, could Babylon's chatbot ultimately prove cost saving? Could it live up to the claim of building a technology no one else had before?
Teaching and learning
This item is suitable for undergraduate, postgraduate and executive education courses.Time period
The events covered by this case took place in 2018.Geographical setting
Region:
Europe
Country:
United Kingdom
Featured company
Babylon Health
Employees:
201-500
Type:
Partnership
Other keywords:
Ali Pparsa
Featured protagonist
- Ali Parsa (male), CEO
About
Abstract
The Iranian-born ex-banker Ali Parsa (Parsa) floated healthcare technology startup Babylon Health (Babylon) mainly on the strength of a highly rated app of the company, which was claimed to have allowed British patients to communicate with a doctor in an unprecedentedly speedy way. That was considered a game-changer even in a country with state-run healthcare having brought top-class medical services to all its citizens, though at the cost of allegedly long waits for clinic visits spanning weeks. Parsa's healthcare vision was to use artificial intelligence rather than costly clinical staff, and a chatbot was the main driver in his effort to speed up healthcare besides drastically reducing healthcare cost. But critics as well as doctors inside Babylon were apprehensive concerning an alleged problem with the chatbot's advice, which was often wrong. Besides, the company had allegedly rushed to deploy software without careful vetting besides exaggerating its efficacy. Still, Babylon's chatbot was hoped to work out a way to reduce costs associated with the services offered under the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK. The claim for cutting down emergency room visits was also considered a logical step in view of high existing per visit cost to the NHS. In such a scenario, could Babylon's chatbot ultimately prove cost saving? Could it live up to the claim of building a technology no one else had before?
Teaching and learning
This item is suitable for undergraduate, postgraduate and executive education courses.Settings
Time period
The events covered by this case took place in 2018.Geographical setting
Region:
Europe
Country:
United Kingdom
Featured company
Babylon Health
Employees:
201-500
Type:
Partnership
Other keywords:
Ali Pparsa
Featured protagonist
- Ali Parsa (male), CEO