Can AI Make Healthcare More Human? How Voice Agents Are Creating Space for Empathy in Patient Communication

When people hear the words “AI” and “healthcare” in the same sentence, they often assume they will have to deal with cold, robotic interactions, impersonal automation, and a system that prioritizes efficiency over human connection. But what if AI could actually bring more empathy into patient communication?

This idea was at the heart of a conversation between Rafael Salazar, host of the Better Outcomes Show, and Ada Andruszkiewicz, our co-founder and COO. 

During the podcast, Ada explained how instead of replacing human interactions, our AI-driven phone bots are designed to eliminate frustrating barriers—long hold times, endless phone trees, and overwhelmed front-desk staff—so that patients can get the help they need, faster and with less friction.

This article explores how AI is transforming patient communication for the better, addressing common concerns about automation, and proving that technology—when implemented thoughtfully—can actually make healthcare more human, not less.

For the patients, phone communication is still king

Despite the rise of patient portals, online scheduling tools, and chat-based communication, the majority of patients still prefer picking up the phone when they need to reach their doctor’s office. In fact, about 70% of interactions between patients and healthcare providers still happen over the phone.

Why? Convenience and familiarity.

Patients want a fast, straightforward way to deal with the matter they wish to solve. The problem is, calling a medical practice is rarely a seamless experience. For most patients, calling a doctor’s office means facing some common issues like:

• Endless hold times: Patients might wait a long time just to reschedule an appointment.
• Phone tag with the front desk: If a call is missed, patients are often asked to leave a message—but returning calls becomes a game of back-and-forth that can last days.
• Confusing phone menus: “Press 1 for scheduling, press 2 for billing, press 3 to listen to this menu again.” Many phone trees are outdated and frustrating to navigate.
• Staffing Shortages: Front-desk teams are often overwhelmed, meaning many calls go unanswered entirely.

As Rafael put it:

The end of hold music

AI-powered voice bots eliminate frustration and delays by instantly triaging calls, handling routine requests, and transferring patients to the right person when needed. 

If the request can be handled automatically—like checking appointment times, rescheduling, or processing a prescription refill—the bot takes care of it. 

If the patient does need to speak to a human, the system routes them to the right person faster—no endless transfers, explaining their issue multiple times, or hearing “your call is very important to us, please continue to hold” for half an hour.

By making phone communication faster and friction-free, AI isn’t removing the human element from healthcare—it’s making it easier for patients to get the care they need.

Why front desk teams are struggling to keep up

Medical front-desk teams are the first point of contact for patients, yet they’re constantly stretched thin. A typical practice misses 30-50% of incoming calls simply because staff can’t answer fast enough. The issue isn’t just staffing shortages—it’s the extreme peaks and valleys in call volume that make it difficult to manage.

Why medical office phones can be a nightmare

• Call surges that overwhelm staff: clinics experience huge spikes in call volume—for example, jumping from a couple to 250 calls per hour in the morning rush. But an hour or two later, call traffic drops significantly. Hiring more staff isn’t an easy solution—what would those extra employees do when the call volume slows back down?
• Multitasking mayhem: staff juggle multiple calls while trying to enter data into the EHR—leading to errors and stress.
• Endless back-and-forth: incomplete information results in missed details, follow-up calls, and frustrating “phone tag” between staff and patients.

How phone automation creates breathing room for staff

AI-powered voice bots take over routine calls, freeing up front-desk staff for more complex tasks. Instead of answering the same repetitive questions all day, teams can focus on patients who actually need their attention.

Here’s what Ashley Glisson, Senior Administrator at MHP Radiation Oncology—one of Talkie.ai’s clients—had to say about that issue:

By handling the high-volume, repetitive calls, AI doesn’t replace human staff—it removes the bottlenecks that prevent them from doing their jobs effectively.

Why AI can actually enable more empathy in healthcare

When people think about introducing automation in healthcare, many assume it will reduce the patient experience to pushing people through a system like a checklist. But the truth is, healthcare phone interactions are often already dehumanized, even without AI.

The real problem: lack of time

Patients experience dehumanization when they:

• Feel like just another number—rushed conversations, missed calls, and long hold times signal that their concerns aren’t a priority.
• Aren’t treated with empathy—overworked staff don’t always have the bandwidth to listen carefully.
• Struggle to get information—repeating themselves to multiple people or leaving voicemails that may never get returned.

How AI restores the human element

Rather than replacing human connection, AI frees up staff to actually engage with patients when it matters most. By handling repetitive, transactional tasks (like scheduling, appointment confirmations, or prescription refills), AI allows human staff to focus on patients who need real attention and care.

Doctors also benefit from this shift. With AI capturing and entering complete, structured information into the EHR, clinicians receive full, accurate details instead of incomplete notes or rushed messages. This means they spend less time chasing missing information and more time providing quality care.

And for patients? The experience is often less frustrating, not more. Instead of waiting on hold or navigating a confusing phone tree, they can get the help they need immediately.

Trust comes from transparency

One common fear regarding AI voice agents is that patients will be tricked into thinking they’re speaking with a real person. But deception erodes trust. Talkie.ai doesn’t pretend to be human—it provides a smooth, natural interaction while making it clear that it’s an AI voice assistant.

More access, more understanding

AI also improves accessibility by allowing multilingual support on demand. Instead of relying on whether a Spanish-speaking receptionist is available, a patient can simply say “Español,” and the bot will switch languages seamlessly—ensuring they get the right information, in the right way, at the right time.

The goal isn’t to replace human interactions—it’s to eliminate the frustrating barriers that prevent them. When staff aren’t overwhelmed, they have the time and energy to be more present, attentive, and empathetic with the patients who need them most.

Far from making healthcare colder—when used correctly, AI is making it more human.

How do AI voice agents transform the front desk?

The bottom line: AI enables smarter, smoother patient communication

When AI steps in, patients get faster responses, staff feel less overwhelmed, and doctors receive better information. Instead of replacing human interactions, AI removes the obstacles that make healthcare communication frustrating for everyone.

It’s not about automating care—it’s about making access easier, clearer, and more efficient.

AI’s true role in healthcare

The fear that AI will strip away the human touch in healthcare is understandable—but it’s also misplaced. AI isn’t here to replace human interaction; it’s here to help the humans in healthcare achieve their goals. It ensures that patients are heard, doctors receive complete and accurate information, and front-desk teams can work without constant stress.

The best healthcare automation is invisible—patients don’t think about the AI behind the scenes, they just experience smoother, faster, and less frustrating interactions.

Listen to the full conversation

Dive deeper by listening to the full episode of the Better Outcomes Show, where Rafael Salazar and Ada Andruszkiewicz discuss:

• How AI is reshaping patient communication, improving access, and restoring empathy in healthcare.
• The biggest challenges of implementing AI in medical practices and how providers are overcoming them.
• The evolving expectations of patients around technology and what that means for healthcare providers.
• Why EHR integration is crucial for making AI solutions even more effective.
• The story behind Talkie.ai—from a hackathon experiment to a specialized AI solution built for healthcare.

🎧 Listen here: AI Healthcare Phone Service to Improve Patient Access.