19/08/2026
Artificial intelligence (AI) is advancing strongly in the health field and is emerging as a key tool to improve workplace health. Its application can promote people’s well-being and contribute to the productivity of companies.
During the XXX Mapfre Global Risks International Seminar, Pedro Díaz Yuste, head of Savia (Mapfre’s digital health initiative), analyzed how this technological revolution is changing the way companies try to integrate accessible and efficient healthcare services, and explained how these solutions are being incorporated into health services.
A revolution in medicine
Díaz Yuste recalled the reflection of Demis Hassabis, CEO of DeepMind and Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry in 2024 for his advances in computational protein design and using AI to predict its structure. According to the British engineer and technologist, this technology has the potential to cure all illnesses in the next decade. Although this forecast may or may not come to pass, the truth is that AI is already showing its ability to improve healthcare and facilitate more universal access to medical services. “If we use it in a reasonable manner, it can help us solve one of humanity’s major problems; namely, universal access to health,” he pointed out.
For the expert, this transformation will necessarily have to be done through technology and the digital revolution, and in a complex context for companies. The increase in mental health problems, the growth of absenteeism and work leave, as well as the need to improve work-life balance, have made employee well-being a strategic priority.
Against this background, Díaz Yuste noted that many organizations have partial solutions in place to address these needs, but they’re often scattered and poorly integrated. AI offers the ability to connect these services and make them more accessible for workers and companies alike.
Where can AI add value?
AI is already generating a positive impact on health, mainly in four major areas:
- Prevention and early detection of diseases. AI tools capable of analyzing symptoms, habits, or risk factors can help identify problems before they develop, which fosters a more preventive approach.
- Triage and digital orientation. Intelligent assistants allow for an initial assessment of symptoms and guide the user to the most appropriate healthcare resource, speeding up care and reducing unnecessary travel.
- Customized medical recommendations. Thanks to the analysis of the information available about each patient, AI technologies can tailor advice, follow-up programs, or treatments to people’s individual characteristics.
- Treatments and therapies. AI is also beginning to be integrated into certain therapies, such as digital physiotherapy programs or follow-up tools that accompany the patient during their recovery process.
According to Díaz Yuste, many of these solutions have ceased to be experimental projects and are now part of the private healthcare offering that’s available to users.
Greater accessibility and efficiency
Among the applications that are already being implemented are video consultations, intelligent symptom evaluators, AI-assisted physiotherapy programs, and digital platforms that integrate different healthcare services. “All of these are things that are available today,” emphasized the speaker.
These tools offer advantages for both employees and companies. Workers can access medical care quickly and from any device or location, reducing wait times and facilitating work-life balance.
For organizations, better health management translates into lower absenteeism levels, a more positive work environment, and a greater ability to attract and retain talent. “Happier, more motivated, healthier employees also mean more productive employees,” he stated. Currently, employee well-being has become a relevant element within companies’ ESG strategies, where the social dimension is gaining increasing importance.
Díaz Yuste reviewed the progress of Savia, Mapfre’s digital health platform, which has been in operation since 2019. Although it already initially featured AI systems based on machine learning models to guide users, the pandemic decisively accelerated the company’s development. During the months of lockdown, the company opened up its telemedicine services free of charge to the entire Spanish population. “Over four months, we handled more than a million remote consultations,” he recalled, noting that this experience allowed him to understand “the meaning of purpose in a company.”
Technology at the service of people
The digitalization of healthcare doesn’t just improve the user experience – it also offers quantifiable results. According to the data presented during the International Seminar, an in-person medical appointment takes, on average, around 90 minutes including travel, wait time, and consultation. A video consultation, on the other hand, can take an average of just six minutes.
Additionally, 85% of users who use the immediate emergency video consultation don’t need to subsequently attend an in-person service, while 84% of those who use this option to talk to a specialist avoid the need to physically visit a doctor during the following month. “We’re helping to avoid in-person medical visits,” summarized Díaz Yuste, who also shared a satisfaction rate of 95%, reflecting the extremely high level of acceptance these services have among users.
The Savia lead also argued that AI should be understood as a tool that complements healthcare and improves the experience for both patients and professionals. “There’s no need to be afraid of AI,” said Díaz Yuste. “Obviously, we have to put controls in place and we have to do it right, but if we get it right, we can significantly improve the customer experience.”
If you want to learn more about this topic, you can watch the full discussion on The Future of Health at the Company on our social networks.
