El Salvador Launches DoctorSV, an AI-Assisted Telemedicine System

In a nationwide broadcast on the night of November 13, 2025, President Nayib Bukele officially inaugurated DoctorSV (@DoctorSVApp) the country’s new AI-assisted telemedicine system.

During the announcement, he emphasized that this platform is the first of its kind in the world, and that it comes as an additional option within El Salvador’s expanding public health system—not a replacement for existing services.

A Project Years in the Making

The launch of DoctorSV is the latest step in a broader effort to modernize the Salvadoran state:

• April 2024: When Google established offices in El Salvador as part of the government’s digital-transformation initiative, the administration first referenced the goal of integrating advanced technology into public health services.
• December 2024: The government again highlighted plans to implement an AI-supported telemedicine platform, confirming its intention to modernize healthcare through digital tools.
• November 13, 2025: President Bukele formally unveiled DoctorSV in a national address, presenting it as a major milestone in the country’s modernization strategy.

What is DoctorSV?

DoctorSV is a digital telemedicine platform designed to provide remote medical attention through mobile devices. Despite incorporating artificial intelligence, the system does not replace human doctors. Instead:

• A licensed physician conducts the consultation, evaluates symptoms, and provides treatment or follow-up.
• AI tools assist the doctor by analyzing symptom descriptions, supporting triage, organizing patient records, and helping streamline diagnostic decisions.

This approach aims to enhance efficiency and accuracy while keeping medical judgment firmly in human hands.

How DoctorSV Works

DoctorSV integrates multiple components to strengthen primary care and expand access:

• Remote medical consultations available through video calls.
• AI-assisted triage, which evaluates symptoms before the doctor sees the patient.
• Electronic prescriptions with secure verification codes.
• Digital access to lab tests and imaging results, synchronized with the user’s health record.
• A unified digital medical file, allowing patients and physicians to review diagnostics and treatment history in one place.

The system is designed to complement existing hospitals, clinics, and public-health networks rather than replace them.

Why This Matters for El Salvador

With DoctorSV, El Salvador aims to reduce waiting times, extend coverage to rural and remote populations, and alleviate pressure on in-person health facilities. By blending medical expertise with AI support, the platform signals a new phase in the country’s digital-health evolution.

The government’s assertion that this is the first system of its kind in the world, reflecting its ambition to position El Salvador as a leader in the use of advanced technology for public services.

Challenges and Considerations

As DoctorSV expands, several questions will shape its long-term success:

• How quickly the system can scale from the initial phase to nationwide coverage.
• Whether connectivity limitations in some regions will impact adoption.
• The ability to maintain high standards of data protection and medical ethics.
• Ensuring that AI support enhances, rather than complicates, clinical workflows.

Conclusion

The inauguration of DoctorSV marks a significant milestone for El Salvador’s healthcare system. By combining telemedicine with AI-assisted tools—while keeping doctors at the center of care—the country takes a bold step toward a more accessible, modern, and efficient health-care model.