Access to Healthcare Chatbot (A2HC Chatbot)

Challenge: Amsterdam: Wildcard – How can an AI solution solve a challenge faced by a marginalised group?
Target Group: Migrants

The pilot focused on co-developing a healthcare chatbot to support undocumented (economic) migrants, refugees, and rejected asylum seekers in Amsterdam. The objective was to improve access to reliable healthcare information by creating a tool that integrates institutional knowledge with the lived experiences of the foreign community.

Development involved a participatory process with four co-creation sessions: two with NGOs such as Wereldhuis, and two with undocumented community members. The chatbot is based on real-life experiences with accessing the healthcare system. Around 13 individuals contributed to the sessions, representing the undocumented economic migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers community.

From a technical perspective, the chatbot employs a full-stack development approach and utilises AI models from OpenAI for both text and voice processing. Strict privacy protocols are maintained, ensuring no sensitive data is stored and all community input is anonymised.

Co-creation with participants from marginalised groups fostered a sense of ownership and trust. To facilitate this, safe spaces were provided along with food and logistical support, ensuring respectful and positive engagement for both NGOs and community members.

The pilot concluded with a chatbot that is technically ready and contextually relevant, with plans to continue development and community engagement beyond the project’s duration. Future collaboration is envisaged with Dutch and European partners to scale or adapt the solution for other cities and contexts.