Tāmaki Health launches New Zealand's first AI Health Coach in primary care
At Tāmaki Health, we're always looking for new ways to make healthcare more accessible, personalised and proactive.
That's why we're proud to be the first primary healthcare provider in New Zealand to integrate an AI Health Coach into routine patient care.
Working alongside our Health Coaches and clinical teams, the AI Health Coach gives patients practical support before, between and after appointments. Whether someone is looking to build healthier habits, better manage a long-term condition or simply stay on track with their health goals, the AI Health Coach provides personalised guidance and encouragement whenever they need it.
Supporting people beyond the clinic
We know that improving your health doesn't just happen during an appointment. The biggest changes often happen at home, between visits, when you're putting advice into practice.
Our Health Coaches and Health Improvement Practitioners have already helped thousands of patients make lasting lifestyle changes, better manage chronic conditions such as diabetes and improve their overall wellbeing.
The AI Health Coach builds on this successful model by making support available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It doesn't replace our people—it complements them. If additional support is needed, patients can be seamlessly connected with one of our Health Coaches or clinical teams.
"Our healthcare system needs to evolve alongside the needs of our communities," says Sam Ranchhod, Chief Digital Officer at Tāmaki Health.
"Primary healthcare cannot simply rely on adding more appointments to meet growing demand. We need new ways to support people earlier, help them stay engaged between appointments and make it easier to access care when they need it."
A digital front door to care
The AI Health Coach acts as a digital front door, allowing people to start a health coaching conversation before they've even booked an appointment.
Patients can receive personalised support for lifestyle and behaviour change, including help with diabetes, gout, weight management, anxiety and other long-term health goals. If the AI identifies that someone needs additional clinical support, they're referred directly into our existing care pathways.
This hybrid approach combines the convenience of AI with the expertise and compassion of our healthcare professionals.
Built for healthcare
Our AI Health Coach is powered by Groov, a New Zealand digital health company specialising in clinically designed AI tools.
Unlike general-purpose AI, the platform has been built specifically for healthcare using clinically reviewed content, clear referral pathways and strong privacy, security and governance standards.
Encouraging early results
Early results from more than 4,500 AI Health Coach conversations have been encouraging.
After a single coaching session, users reported a 32% increase in their confidence and capability to manage their health and wellbeing. By the second month, this increased to 75%, with users rating the experience 8.5 out of 10 for helpfulness.
As we continue rolling the AI Health Coach out across selected Tāmaki Health clinics, we'll keep evaluating how it improves patient engagement, access to care and long-term health outcomes.
This is another step towards delivering more connected, accessible healthcare—helping people get the support they need, when they need it.
