It's not easy to keep up with rapidly shifting consumer expectations in a healthcare setting. Practices are under more pressure than ever to manage increasing call volumes and meet rising patient expectations, all while deploying limited staff. In response, many have adopted two-way texting platforms to handle some of that communication load. While these tools have their place, they are far from a complete solution and in many cases, they fall short when patients need real-time support.
Two-way texting is often positioned as a simple fix to reduce phone volume. It’s useful for sending appointment reminders, confirming visit details, or handling straightforward FAQs. But at its core, texting requires patients to opt in, check their messages, and take action. And for staff, it still demands time and attention to monitor message threads, respond manually, and follow up. It isn’t true automation; it’s simply a tool that shifts work downstream without fully eliminating it.
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The Real Gaps in Patient Communication
Despite more modern options like texting and patient portals, many patients still prefer a good old-fashioned phone call. Depending on the demographics of the practice, bolstering traditional communication channels may be a more valuable solution. Many practices that implement two-way texting continue to face missed calls, long wait times, and overburdened front desk staff — now trying to manage multiple modes of communication at once.
In a survey of 1,500+ patients across the US, 23% choose to not cancel over the phones, fearing long hold times. Eliminating this friction with phone automation reduces no-shows and increases opportunities to capture revenue for the practice.
VoiceAI: A Smarter, Scalable Solution
VoiceAI offers a fundamentally different solution. Instead of relying on patients to engage asynchronously, VoiceAI answers the phone immediately, around the clock, and carries out a fully natural, human-like conversation. Patients don’t need to download anything or wait for a reply — they just call like they always have, and get the help they need.
With EliseAI, the VoiceAI can understand patient intent in real time, ask clarifying questions, schedule or reschedule appointments directly into the calendar, and route more complex or clinical questions to staff when appropriate. It doesn’t just automate—it delegates, freeing up your team to focus on higher-value interactions and in-person hospitality.
Real Results for Modern Practices
Practices that implement Voice AI see measurable improvements in a short time. Georgia Skin Cancer and Aesthetic Dermatology partnered with EliseAI and reduced their average wait time to less than 10 seconds and saw abandonment rates drop from 60% to 5% — all without increasing headcount. For organizations struggling to keep up with demand or searching for scalable solutions, Voice AI delivers on both operational efficiency and patient satisfaction.
Texting Has a Role — But It’s Not Enough
While two-way texting still has a role to play, it is not enough to transform the way practices manage patient access. If your goal is to significantly reduce call burden, increase revenue, and better support your team, Voice AI is the technology that gets you there.
Ready to hear what your patients could be hearing instead of hold music? Let’s chat! Fill out the form here to learn more about EliseAI's healthcare offerings.