In healthcare, delivering patient-centered care isn’t just reserved to the confines of a clinic, it begins with the first phone call to schedule an appointment. But far too often, those calls are met with outdated interactive voice response (IVR) systems, long wait times, and puzzling menus that cause frustration rather than support. Alarmingly, according to Market Growth Reports, around 36% of companies still use old IVR software from before 2017, meaning many health providers are lagging behind on integrating today’s advanced service technology. Voice still remains the most trusted and frequently used channel for patients, despite the improved UX of digital health portals that we have seen in recent years. So any healthcare provider that wants to provide exceptional service can’t rely on outdated IVR systems that have long since been surpassed by more effective customer experience solutions.
According to a 2024 study by the National Institute of Health, 56.4% of respondents said they rely on phone calls as their primary method for scheduling appointments. It’s clear that there’s a great opportunity to improve patient experiences while also mitigating rising fraud threats, because it is evident voice isn’t going away anytime soon.
That’s where AI-powered virtual agents can make a difference. Today’s leading Conversational AI platforms can provide natural, context-aware service for patients at scale, ensuring patients feel heard and supported from the first moment of contact. 24/7 automated support streamlines the patient experience and improves provider efficiency, cutting costs and erasing the pain points patients commonly face with antiquated IVRs. However, success with AI in healthcare hinges on overcoming four critical hurdles: security and compliance, patient experiences through the voice channel, infrastructure, and staff workload – and knowing exactly how to address each one.
Building on a foundation of robust security and continuous compliance
One critical consideration when it comes to security is patient data, which is among the most heavily regulated with federal frameworks like HIPAA requiring organizations to implement strict security and privacy protections. The good news, however, is that when done well, Conversational AI can actually help healthcare providers meet these standards.
Advanced Conversational AI systems can validate patient identities before passing them to a live agent, reducing fraud exposure and protecting patient data. The best platforms are also ones which are purpose-built to comply with HIPAA and maintain protection of Protected Health Information (PHI) across every interaction.
But compliance is only one part of the equation. Many healthcare systems still operate on legacy infrastructure or have fragmented electronic health record (EHR) platforms. If data isn’t accessible in real time, even the most intelligent AI agent will struggle. That’s why seamless integration with industry-standard systems like Epic, Cerner, and eClinicalWorks is essential. These integrations enable continuity across the patient journey and personalize each interaction with accurate, up-to-date context.
Improving first-contact patient experience
For patients, convenience often means being able to pick up the phone and quickly get the information or support they need without being transferred, placed on long holds, or having to repeat details multiple times. However, if that first call doesn’t go well, trust in the healthcare provider can rapidly erode. Conversational AI enables providers to elevate that experience without sacrificing human connection.
A virtual agent that’s trained for healthcare-specific customer requests can automate high-volume tasks like scheduling, prescription refills, test results delivery, and billing questions. Furthermore, it’s able to do this 24/7, in multiple languages, and without transferring to different departments. It’s a scalable, intelligent approach to accessibility that supports real patient needs while freeing up clinical and administrative teams for more complex, value-driven interactions.
Reducing staff strain with smarter workflows
Burnout is another issue that continues to be a significant challenge across healthcare. According to the American Medical Association, 57% of physicians view the reduction of administrative burden as AI’s top contribution. The opportunity to streamline repetitive, low-value calls, like appointment confirmations or FAQ-based inquiries, is immense.
Roughly 40% of inbound calls to healthcare contact centers fall into this category. With the right Conversational AI and EHR integration, these calls can be handled autonomously, giving human agents more bandwidth for nuanced, emotionally sensitive cases. This can be especially essential in cost-effectively handling calls during surges of demand.
Transforming patient interaction at scale
Transforming healthcare access means starting at the first point of contact – with the very first phone call. What’s slowing this process, however, are legacy systems, siloed data, and evolving privacy standards.
When Conversational AI embeds natural, real-time, and compliant automation into the patient access journey, providers can deliver high-quality, efficient, and empathetic care experiences at scale. The future of patient-centered care is connected, intelligent, and proactive, and it all starts with patients picking up the phone.
About Kyle Howard
Kyle Howard is an Enterprise Solutions Consultant at Omilia, where he helps enterprises transform customer experiences with Conversational AI. He has deep expertise in voice technologies and Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) solutions, built through roles at NICE CXOne, Intelepeer, Kore.ai, and ujet.cx. Kyle is based in Minnesota.
