AI-Powered Chatbot at Singapore General Hospital
Singapore General Hospital (SGH) introduced an AI-powered chatbot named PEACH (Perioperative AI Chatbot) to support clinicians in preparing for surgeries. This tool is projected to save around 60 senior doctor hours annually by streamlining preoperative processes.
Introduction
PEACH was developed by SGH's clinical team to assist with the hospital’s Preoperative Assessment Clinic. The chatbot integrates SGH's perioperative guidelines into a large language model-based AI assistant, built in collaboration with the Singaporean government's Open Government Products team. This partnership combines medical expertise with technology to simplify access to constantly updated surgical protocols.
How It Works
Doctors input relevant patient information from electronic health records (EHRs) into PEACH. The chatbot then:
- Answers perioperative anaesthesia questions
- Drafts referral letters and patient instructions
- Summarises key anaesthesia-related concerns
- Generates perioperative care plans
- Triages pre-surgery patients by recommending whether assessments should be done via phone, in clinic, or on surgery day
This functionality supports more efficient patient evaluation and resource allocation.
Findings
Two studies conducted between November and February validated PEACH’s performance. Published in npj Digital Medicine and presented at Euroanesthesia 2024, the results showed:
- 98% accuracy in pre-surgery recommendations from 240 chatbot interactions
- Less than 2% incidence of hallucination (false AI-generated information)
- Under 1% deviation from official guidelines
- Usage primarily for complex cases, where it was rated highly for safety, explainability, and clarity
- Nearly six minutes saved per patient in documentation time during medium-complexity cases
These savings translate to over 600 junior doctor hours and approximately 60 senior doctor hours annually. The Health Sciences Authority of Singapore has approved PEACH for use in healthcare settings.
Why It Matters
SGH’s preoperative clinic handles about 25,000 patients each year. Doctors currently review over 400 pages of perioperative guidelines, which are frequently updated. This volume makes consistent adherence challenging and risks delays or suboptimal preparation.
PEACH addresses these challenges by providing quick, guideline-based support and efficient triage to reduce wait times and improve workflow. According to Dr Hairil Rizal, associate professor at SGH’s Department of Anaesthesiology, the chatbot helps allocate resources more effectively, ultimately improving patient care.
The Larger Trend
PEACH builds on earlier AI initiatives at SGH. Two years ago, the hospital deployed a predictive AI tool that assesses a patient's fitness for surgery based on a machine learning-enhanced risk calculator.
Additionally, SGH researchers recently collaborated with the A*STAR Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology to develop AI capable of predicting liver cancer recurrence, highlighting the growing role of AI in diverse healthcare applications.
On the Record
“PEACH represents a significant step forward in managing preoperative assessments,” said Dr Ke Yuhe, associate consultant of anaesthesiology at SGH and lead of the PEACH project. “By integrating comprehensive perioperative guidelines with AI technology, we’ve created a tool that enhances patient safety while helping doctors make efficient, consistent decisions.”
Dr Rizal added, “What excites me most about PEACH is how it’s transforming our clinical workflow. When you’re seeing thousands of pre-surgery patients annually, every minute saved on administrative tasks is a minute gained for patient care.”
Your membership also unlocks:
