How AI is redefining customer service in healthcare

If you’ve ever called a hospital to be put on hold, you know the frustration. Imagine calling to schedule a doctor’s appointment and hearing, “All of our agents are currently busy; please stay online. Minutes pass and by the time you log in, the experience is already a bit sour. It’s no surprise that around 60 percent of patients don’t want to wait more than a minute.

Healthcare needs a better way to engage, and AI could be the answer.

Healthcare organizations invest a lot in customer service. For example, a leading US healthcare organization responds to more than 40 million inquiries per year, regarding benefits, claims, provider details, and more. However, as the demand for health care is constantly changing, wait times are accumulating. This leaves patients stuck in a bottleneck, waiting longer than they would like for simple answers.

Enter AI. Rapid advancements in AI technologies have begun to reshape what was once considered impossible in various industries, including healthcare. AI-powered virtual assistants are now capable of handling routine inquiries, scheduling appointments, noting patient concerns, and providing basic medical information, thereby reducing the burden on human agents and enabling them to concentrate on more complex tasks.

AI goes beyond improving call center efficiency

It goes beyond that. AI will not only improve the efficiency of call centers, it will redefine what the future of customer service looks like in various industries, including banking, healthcare, insurance and retail.

With AI, call centers are no longer what they used to be. These virtual assistants don’t seem robotic or scripted; they are trained to engage like human agents, but eliminate wait times and minimize errors. AI customization is also a big plus. It remembers patients, offers reminders, and even suggests resources for chronic illnesses. In short, AI aims to make every interaction smoother, more useful and tailored to the needs of each patient.

Beyond call centers, the integration of AI into healthcare customer service extends to various digital platforms, creating a seamless omnichannel experience.

Patients can receive appointment reminders via text message or access lab results through secure mobile apps, reducing the need to navigate complex phone systems.

Today, AI-powered customer service is extremely important for healthcare providers. Notably, 82 percent of patients consider quality of customer service to be the most important factor when choosing care.

Additionally, AI has been shown to improve customer engagement by 72% in healthcare settings, making AI adoption a top priority for healthcare providers.

A global case study on the use of AI in healthcare is Renew Physical Therapy. With five California clinics, the company faced last-minute cancellations, impacting revenue and staff efficiency. After implementing Penciled’s AI assistant Whitney, they saw results in just a week.

Whitney filled 17 vacant positions, generating $1,657 in additional revenue and saving nearly nine hours of administrative work. This seamless integration has not only streamlined operations but also enhanced patient engagement.

Ultimately, AI is not here to replace human interaction but to enhance it. It’s about building stronger patient-provider relationships and redefining what customer service can look like.

The future of customer service undoubtedly lies in AI, and the healthcare industry is no exception. As technology rapidly evolves, businesses that fail to adopt AI risk losing ground to competitors who use it to streamline operations and improve customer experiences.

Early adopters of AI, particularly in health careposition themselves as leaders in terms of efficiency and patient satisfaction.

Embracing AI isn’t just about keeping up. It is about maximizing growth potential and exploring new avenues of innovation. In an increasingly competitive landscape, AI is more than an advantage; it is a strategic necessity that allows businesses to thrive and set new standards of service.

By automating repetitive tasks and anticipating patient needs, AI allows human agents to focus on providing empathetic support during critical moments.

The question is no longer whether AI will transform healthcare customer service; it’s about how quickly providers will adopt these technologies to meet the growing demand for accessible, effective and personalized care.

The writer is the CEO and co-founder of ClusterLab.