Ada Health Study Shows AI Tool Improves Patient Care Decisions in Portugal

Berlin-based Ada Health announced the results of a real-world study conducted with CUF, Portugal’s largest private healthcare network, in a press release. The research, published in NEJM AI, found that Ada’s clinical AI tool significantly improved patient decision-making and the appropriateness of care received.

The ESSENCE study enrolled 1,470 adult participants through CUF’s patient app, which integrates Ada’s symptom assessment with direct care booking. One in three participants changed their intended level of care immediately after completing an Ada assessment, and the proportion of patients uncertain about what to do dropped from 12.6% to 5%.

Tracking through electronic health records and follow-up surveys showed that nearly three in five patients attended a different care setting than originally planned. The proportion of patients receiving clinically appropriate care more than doubled, from 29.8% to 64.4%, according to review by an independent physician panel. Among those who initially planned to visit an emergency department, about 40% ultimately chose a lower-acuity setting rated as appropriate.

No safety issues were identified during follow-up, and the study concluded that access to Ada’s AI assessment helped patients navigate to the right care more effectively.