But one telehealth company – Now Healthcare Group – believes it can apply AI to its existing apps to relieve some of that strain. Former founder of an advertising company Lee Dentith founded AI healthcare startup Now Healthcare in 2014. He came up with the idea when he wanted to get one of his children to see a GP but struggled to get through, something that many people will be familiar with. Now Healthcare provides Europe's largest remote digital GP consultation platform, NowGP, and a subscription service with the NHS, Now Patient. Founder Dentith also had a background in technology, something that COO of the company Tim Ng regards as vital for its success.

Tens of millions of chronically ill people around the world rely on repeat prescriptions, but getting the drugs they need can be a time-consuming and frustrating process. Now apps, automation and home delivery services are making their lives easier. When Melissa Fehr came home from hospital after undergoing a major bone marrow procedure, she says she was carrying "two enormous bags of medication". There were drugs to guard against infection, and other drugs to combat the side effects of other drugs, she says. A bout of shingles was "horrible ... it was just constant pain, so I was prescribed five or six different pain killers", she says.