AI created in the city of MG to confirm SUS queries via WhatsApp wins Meta award

An artificial intelligence (AI) developed in Itapecerica, in the Center-West of Minas, to confirm consultations and exams from the Unified Health System (SUS) via WhatsApp, won an award on Thursday night (12) from Meta, the company responsible for the application.

The City of Itapecerica won the Gold Trophy in the Customer Experience category on WhatsApp, and also the Grand Prix, the top prize of the entire WhatsApp Awards 2026 ceremony, promoted by Meta in partnership with Meio & Mensagem.

The tool allows patients to confirm or request rescheduling of appointments via cell phone, including outside business hours. According to City Hall, almost 5 thousand people have already used the service.

The technology was developed by a company from the city itself, which has just over 21 thousand inhabitants, in partnership with the City Hall.

The project, called “SUS vacancy confirmed by WhatsApp: the AI ​​that talks to each patient in Itapecerica/MG”, competed for the WhatsApp Awards 2026, in the Customer Experience on WhatsApp category.

The award recognizes initiatives that use the application in innovative ways. The ceremony was held at the Jockey Club in São Paulo, and brought together executives from large companies, leaders from the technology sector and representatives of finalist projects from across the country.

How does this AI work?

The tool contacts patients via the Municipal Health Department number to confirm appointments and exams already scheduled. The message informs the date, location and main guidelines for the service.

The resident can respond by text or audio, confirming their presence or requesting a rescheduling. As the system also works outside business hours, there is no need to respond immediately.

When the patient informs that they will not be able to attend, the place can be offered to another person waiting for care. Artificial intelligence also makes calls and, when necessary, forwards the conversation to an attendant from the Department of Health.

According to Rafael Junior, creator of the project, the tool was created to prevent vacancies from being used due to lack of communication between patients and the Municipality.

“We thought about this project based on a concrete situation: a person waits for care while a space may remain unused because another patient was unable to notify them that they would not be coming”, he explained.

Before the implementation of technology, according to City Hall, part of the organization of care was done in notebooks, and contact with patients depended on calls and messages sent manually by employees.

Almost 5 thousand patients served

Since implementation, artificial intelligence has served almost 5,000 patients and made more than 12,000 contacts, according to a report released by City Hall.

According to the Municipality, 87% of patients respond to messages sent by the system, and around 76% of appointments and exams are confirmed in advance.

In addition to the service confirmation tool, the Municipal Health Department created a WhatsApp channel to disseminate information to the population.