TOPICS: Chatbot for Healthcare    Building a chatbot   

Medical chatbots: How are medical chat bots being used today?

The multi-faceted realm of healthcare relies on a variety of skill-sets and capabilities, and medical chatbots are currently being deployed in a variety of applications in the medical industry. Supporting the core medical and diagnostic skills that doctors bring to the table, are other verticals such as nursing and post-op care, prescription management, medical equipment manufacturing and supply, billing and payments, and so on.

A well-oiled healthcare machinery requires efficient and tailored management of its components. This is the primary reason why AI-driven technology has gained traction in the fields of medicine and healthcare in recent years. Medical chatbots for websites of hospitals, clinics, and healthcare establishments, have proven particularly effective as round-the-clock health assistants. They take on diverse roles ranging from lead generators to virtual receptionists and nurses, ultimately freeing medical professionals from the burden of carrying out repetitive administrative tasks.

The following are some ways in which Medical chatbots are currently being deployed in the medical industry.

Chatbots scheduling and managing appointments:

Appointment scheduling is the primary function for which most medical practices create a chatbot. The presence of a medical chatbot simplifies the booking and payment process for all potential patients, irrespective of their age, background, or location. Busy professionals appreciate the convenience of making an appointment in just a few seconds, by typing a request or selecting an option on a chat window. They can do it outside of business hours, and even on weekends, without having to visit the clinic in person or even make a phone call. The simplicity of the process also caters to the needs of elderly or disabled patients, who are spared the hassle of navigating webpages and manually searching for doctors and available time slots.

Building chatbots for appointment booking also bodes well for new patients who are unfamiliar with a particular clinic. Prior to scheduling their appointments, the medical chatbot can match these patients with the right specialists, thus helping them get the right treatment.

Bots engaging new patients:

The internet is rife with online searches for symptoms and medical conditions. However, seldom do these searches lead to accurate or reliable diagnoses. Websites of medical practices and hospitals are gradually changing this trend by building chatbots to help people diagnose their symptoms. The websites first engage people who are already looking for answers online, and direct them to more reliable information and further assistance. Their online chatbots then offer visitors the option of checking their symptoms online, and take appropriate actions at the end of the exercise.

In addition to receiving credible insights about their medical conditions, patients visiting the site are able to make an appointment with a doctor at the next available time slot. This process has two-pronged benefits – improving people’s access to proper medical care, and bringing more treatments to the clinics and hospitals themselves.

Providing support with Chat bots:

Patients have plenty of questions after their initial appointments with their doctors. These questions could revolve around the drugs they’ve been prescribed, new symptoms they might be experiencing, or the medical equipment and supplies that they might require. As such, clinics and hospitals tend to get countless phone calls from existing patients, most of which ask for basic information that can easily be furnished through an online chat. Once again, building medical chatbots is an effective way to manage these enquiries.

With proper chatbot development, AI bots can double up as ‘customer support’ agents, answering simple questions about clinic timings, prescribed drugs, medical equipment purchase and repair, and so on. Freed from the hassle of repeatedly answering these questions, the clinic’s staff can focus on other activities like checking on patients, assisting doctors with procedures, and so on.

To find out more about the applications of medical chatbots, or to discover how chatbot development is influencing other industries, follow our blog or get in touch with us.