Revolutionise GP Access with Conversational AI
Introducing AiMe – A Prototype
- AiMe is a conversational AI system designed to be the first-line call handler for patient calls to GP practices.
- AiMe is designed to handle many of the routine patient requests, such as making appointments, taking messages, signposting to other services and much more.
- AiMe is capable of answering all calls on the first ring, reducing patient frustration while lessening the stress and pressure on receptionist staff.
As demand for GP services grows, ways are being sought to deal with the ever increasing workload. One of the prime contenders for helping address this concern has to be AI. With AI’s ability to absorb data, process requests and interact with humans, it holds out the prospect of revolutionising healthcare. AiMe, with its ability to assist patients immediately, 24×7, is at the forefront of this revolution.
The True Cost of the 8am Phone Rush
Practices have been struggling with unprecedented demand, leading to frustrated patients and exhausted staff. Nowhere is this more evident than in the 8am phone rush, when reception staff are not always able to handle calls promptly due to high patient demand and limited staff. Finding new ways of working that will enable the existing workforce to manage increasing demand more easily and cost effectively has become a priority.
AiMe is designed to give practices the ability to deal with all patient calls immediately even at peak times. When no appointments are available, AiMe can signpost patients to alternative services, without delay. This optimises existing capacity, relieves stress and burnout of staff, and gets people access to the treatment they need sooner.
Fairer access to health
In an effort to ease pressure on GP practices there has been a shift to online access, with apps and websites on smartphones and tablets. However, many of the most disadvantaged in society, such as the elderly and low income families, who have no access to this technology, have to resort to phoning their practice. Unlike digital access, phone lines are only manned during opening times, and callers often experience long waits, further disadvantaging this group who often need healthcare the most. AiMe introduces a level playing field, giving every caller immediate access to the GP practice, 24×7. AiMe’s conversational approach engages with callers in a way that current digital services do not, allowing the system to explore the needs of the patient and arrange the most appropriate service.
Scale with Ease
When practices merge or grow, providing sufficient resources with the right skills and knowledge to deal with an increase in patient calls can be difficult. AiMe offers a way for practices to take on additional patient capacity and to handle increasing volumes of phone conversations without compromising on quality or response times. Train AiMe once, and the system can deal with all patient calls in a consistent way that accurately represents each practice’s way of working. This saves practices unpredictable costs associated with staff training whilst giving patients a reliable and consistent service.
Your new team member
People with the skills to deal with patient requests represent a finite resource and the transition to a more productive way of working is inevitable. If you want to add extra resilience to your team, why not start the journey by finding out how AiMe can help? We have produced a prototype and we’re excited to share our progress on this project with you, especially to those who would be interested in developing partnerships with us to help us move this to the next stage of development.
More about AiMe, and design considerations used in the prototype: