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5 Questions about Chatbots to Improve the Patient Experience

Healthcare organizations look to chatbots to support their staff and patients.

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Laura DiDio is principal at ITIC. She has over 25 years of experience in IT as an analyst, consultant, writer and investigative reporter.

As healthcare organizations remain interested in automated solutions to ease workflows and better support consumers, they may consider introducing chatbots at certain digital access points. On the clinical side, for instance, a chatbot may assist a physician in searching through an electronic health record or internal communication. On the patient side, a chatbot can direct people to general health information or different departments. Here are five questions for organizations looking to incorporate more self-service options with a chatbot.

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1. What Are the Different Types of Chatbots?

Artificial intelligence–powered chatbots have greater comprehension and can respond to more complex requests with personalization that mimics human conversation. Generative AI chatbots provide real-time responses and deliver more contextual answers. Interactive menu and button chatbots offer quick facts and resolve straightforward queries. Voice chatbots can speak, which is convenient for hands-free interactions. Rules-based chatbots reply to specific questions and commands.

2. What Are Some Common Use Cases for Chatbots in Healthcare?

Healthcare chatbots allow patients to get help quickly, assisting with routine tasks such as booking appointments, sending reminders and providing information about office hours and types of payment accepted. This frees up human staff to address more critical functions.

3. What Are Some Challenges with Chatbots?

Chatbots can misunderstand questions and make mistakes. Users interacting with a chatbot may become frustrated with an impersonal interface, although chatbots continue to evolve and have become more empathetic in their responses. Users may also want to skip the chatbot interaction altogether and deal directly with a human.

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4. How Do You Choose the Right Chatbot for Your Organization?

Make sure you align the solution with your organization’s strategic mission. At the end of the day, it’s not about deploying a shiny new tool, it’s about delivering high-quality patient care. Consider use cases for clinical workflows versus patient-facing needs.

5. How Can Chatbots Ease Staffing Issues?

An efficient chatbot can free healthcare staff members from basic, time-consuming interactions, allowing them to focus on more high-level tasks. Currently, chatbots are most useful in providing support for administrative work. As they develop further, there may be more clinical use cases for them.

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