With so many artificial intelligence (AI) voice solutions entering the healthcare marketplace, including throughout many patient call centers, it’s easy to assume patients will naturally embrace the technology. However, the reality is many people still prefer speaking with a real person rather than a chatbot or automated voice system. Why? Healthcare is confusing, and patients often need guidance, not just canned responses. Technology can surface information quickly, but only people connect the dots. They clarify, personalize, and reassure. They can say, ‘Here’s what this means for you, and here’s what I recommend you do next.’
Healthcare isn’t the only industry in which people tend to prefer human interactions over those with AI. Sixty-one percent of customers say people grasp their concerns better than AI, and 53% feel that human agents provide more complete explanations. Ninety-percent of people prefer to get customer service from a human rather than a chatbot.
Imagine a traveler dealing with a canceled international flight and missed connection who becomes frustrated when a chatbot can’t rebook across partner airlines or a bank customer who identifies a fraudulent charge and becomes frustrated when a chatbot can’t interpret the context or urgency, delaying resolution until a human intervenes. Here’s another common scenario: A customer tries to return a damaged item tied to a bundled promotion but gets stuck when the chatbot can’t override a policy or offer a flexible resolution.
In healthcare specifically, the percentage of people who prefer human interactions may be even higher because patients aren’t just processing information or trying to complete a simple task; they’re navigating fear, uncertainty, and high-stakes decisions. Even as AI becomes more sophisticated, human interactions remain far superior in terms of their ability to detect emotions and respond appropriately.
Consider a patient who calls their provider about a $1,200 bill they thought was covered by insurance after a recent outpatient procedure. An AI voice agent authenticates the patient, pulls the account balance, explains the amount owed, and offers a payment option. However, what happens when the patient begins to ask questions? For example, what if the patient had two insurance plans and suspects a coordination of benefits error. The AI agent may not recognize the error and doesn’t acknowledge the patient’s growing frustration. Even as the patient asks to talk with someone, the AI agent delays escalation, further driving inefficiency and frustration and leading to an impersonal interaction. Humans, on the other hand, could have explained the bill in plain language, identified the error, and provided reassurance that the patient isn’t responsible until the provider resubmits the claim correctly.
Successful healthcare providers are those that combine world-class technology with world-class people. In a patient call center specifically, this means leveraging AI to:
For instance, AI can handle appointment reminders, booking appointments, basic FAQs, call routing, prescription refill requests, and other simple tasks.
It also means leveraging patient call center staff to:
As an example, humans are needed to explain complex bills, handle distressed patients, and conduct sensitive conversations.
It’s the combination of people plus technology that ensures an optimal experience based on each patient’s unique needs and circumstances.
As providers continue to explore AI in the patient call center and elsewhere throughout the revenue cycle,
it’s important to keep in mind that the technology is only a tool. People are a provider’s greatest asset because they:
Ultimately, algorithms follow rules. Patients don’t. When something falls outside the expected pattern like coverage edge cases, conflicting payer information, or a patient who’s confused but doesn’t know what to ask—technology alone can’t course-correct. A trained patient call center staff member can catch the nuance, and intervene before a small issue becomes a denial or lost payment. Learn how Global Healthcare Resource can elevate your patient experience and enhance patient satisfaction in an age of AI.
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