An Artificial Intelligence (AI) receptionist, fondly referred to as Emma, has been introduced at the Kirton Lindsey & Scotter Surgery in North Lincolnshire, with the aim of minimising the duration patients have to wait on phone calls. The surgery rolled out Emma in November, delegating her with the responsibility of handling telephone calls, gathering relevant patient information, and scheduling patient appointments. Dr Satpal Shekhawat, one of the general practitioners at the practice, asserted that the surgery had repeatedly encountered complaints about prolonged call waiting times, where patients were sometimes left hanging as the 10th or 15th caller in the queue. Nevertheless, the adoption of Emma brought along its own set of struggles, with some patients voicing their dissatisfaction about her inability to comprehend certain crucial details such as birth dates.
The incorporation of Emma is intended as a measure to smooth operations at the surgery, which accommodates about 10,500 patients. However, in spite of the objective to bolster efficacy, feedback is divided. Some patients, such as Sandra Dodsworth, had to deal with several setbacks, eventually deciding to visit the practice in person after Emma persistently failed to understand her date of birth. “I gave up,” revealed Sandra, “I’d prefer to talk to a person who can understand me.”
Echoing similar sentiments, another patient named Alex articulated his reservations about the appropriateness of AI applications in healthcare environments, particularly during instances of intense discomfort requiring urgent intervention. Regardless of these apprehensions, Dr Shekhawat has reassured patients that AI would not supplant human staff members, and that it is an option for patients to request to speak to a human representative. A representative for the NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board conveyed their enthusiasm towards the new system, indicating that other healthcare practices in the region are enthusiastically monitoring its evolution.
This news has been adapted by The Lincoln Post from the original report by www.bbc.com.
