DEMO: Can AI Help Fix the Bottleneck in Patient Phone Calls?

Ask AI host Elena Putilina meets with Florent Voumard of Montreal-based Ubenwa to get a first-hand look at Roseline, their new virtual medical assistant for hospitals, clinics, and front-line healthcare providers. Volunteer Producer: Chris McLellan

The Problem: Patient Phone Lines Are Broken

Every day, clinics and healthcare providers across North America are overwhelmed by patient phone calls. Whether it’s booking an appointment, asking a question, or seeking urgent care, the first point of contact is usually a phone, and far too often, that call goes unanswered.

In the United States, a 2022 Commonwealth Fund survey found that 1 in 3 adults had difficulty reaching their primary care provider by phone, one of the highest rates among high-income countries. At the same time, 58% of U.S. medical practice leaders say managing inbound calls is their top administrative burden (MGMA, 2023).

In Canada, the situation is just as urgent. Over 6 million Canadians lack access to a family doctor (Angus Reid Institute, 2023), forcing many to rely on walk-in clinics and overburdened phone systems. A study by the University of British Columbia revealed that up to 40% of clinic phone calls go unanswered or straight to voicemail, particularly during peak hours.

Meanwhile, frontline staff are spending as much as half their day fielding phone calls, reducing their capacity for in-person care and contributing to burnout.

This leads to missed appointments, unnecessary ER visits, staff overload, and patient frustration which are all problems that automation and AI are well-positioned to solve.

Enter Ubenwa's Roseline

Roseline AI is a virtual medical assistant that answers and manages patient phone calls automatically. It helps clinics handle routine tasks like scheduling, triage, and FAQs without needing staff to pick up the phone.

By connecting directly to EHR systems, Roseline improves patient access, reduces administrative load, and lets healthcare staff focus on providing care instead of managing phone traffic.

Demo links

• Product page

• Ubenwa website

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