Healthcare is set to become one of the most radically changed fields during the rising AI wave.
AI chatbots and AI agents have been making their way into healthcare systems for years, and are quickly accelerating towards mass adoption.
But what do these AI applications have in store for providers?
Let’s dive into the world of healthcare chatbots – including examples, use cases, best practices, and what the research says.
What is a healthcare chatbot?
A healthcare chatbot is an AI-powered tool that assists patients and providers by automating tasks such as symptom checking, appointment scheduling, and health education.
Using natural language processing, healthcare chatbots interact with users to provide personalized support and triage.
By analyzing user input – like questions or reported symptoms – they deliver accurate, relevant responses. Typically integrated into messaging apps or healthcare platforms, they’re often backed by medical databases to ensure reliable information.
What does the research say?
While AI chatbots won’t be replacing doctors anytime soon, they’re “undoubtedly valuable tools in the medical field,” according to Altamimi et al.
Their accessible, 24/7 nature allows patients to use AI chatbots to successfully manage their own health at home. Studies have confirmed the effectiveness of AI chatbots in promoting healthy behaviors, such as:
- Lifestyle improvements
- Smoking cessation
- Medication adherence
Chatbots can also be used to educate or prepare patients for necessary health tasks. One study found that when patients were instructed to use an AI-driven app – to help with bowel preparation before colonoscopies – their compliance with dietary restrictions and purgative instructions was significantly higher.
However, chatbots for healthcare must be specifically trained – asking ChatGPT for medical advice isn’t the best application of LLM technology.
But with custom LLM agents that use RAG, healthcare chatbots can be a beneficial and scalable solution for patients.
Examples of Healthcare Chatbots
OneRemission
For patients who have recently left the hospital, it can be hard to transition to self-sufficiency – especially with new medical restrictions
Built on Botpress by ethical web and mobile partner Keen Ethics, OneRemission is an oncology app aimed at cancer survivors and fighters.
With knowledge curated by integrative medicine experts, it encompasses post-cancer exercise, nutrition, sleep, and stress management practices. If a user has a question about how a specific food will react with their medications, they can just ask the chatbot.
And for urgent questions, the app allows users to consult with a 24/7 on-call oncologist.
Buoy Health
Developed out of the Harvard Innovation Labs by a team of doctors and data scientists, Buoy navigates people through the healthcare system.
It triages at scale, and connects people with the right care based on their symptoms. Its flow begins with:
- Users tell Buoy about their symptoms.
- Users receive feedback, including potential causes and severity.
- Based on its assessment, Buoy recommends next steps.
- After the initial conversation or treatment, Buoy provides follow-ups via text.
Florence
Florence is a personal health assistant accessible where its users are – popular messaging apps, like Facebook Messenger.
Designed to improve medication adherence and health tracking, Florence can:
- Set medication reminders
- Provide detailed information about medicines
- Track metrics like body weight, mood, and menstrual cycles
- Locate doctors or pharmacies
With an interface already supported by most patients’ phones, Florence is a seamless option for healthcare information and follow-ups.
Youper
Found clinically effective by Stanford researchers, Youper is a mental health chatbot designed to support users dealing with anxiety, depression, and stress.
Built on the principles of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Youper engages users in short, interactive conversations to help them reframe thoughts and manage emotions. It also tracks mood, provides personalized mental health insights, and offers tools like thought journaling.
Best Practices for Healthcare Chatbots
Leverage behavior change techniques
Integrate proven strategies like goal-setting, real-time feedback, and positive reinforcement to actively encourage healthier habits.
For example, a chatbot can celebrate milestones, such as sticking to a medication schedule for 30 days, which motivates users to stay consistent.
Provide tiered responses for complex queries
Train chatbots to escalate responses based on the complexity of a user's input. For instance, while a chatbot might answer basic questions about a prescription, it could seamlessly connect a user to a live pharmacist for more nuanced concerns, ensuring patient safety without overloading human resources.
Build trust with transparency
Clearly communicate what the chatbot can and cannot do, along with how it uses and protects patient data.
For example, a healthcare chatbot designed for triage could inform users upfront: “I can help assess your symptoms and recommend next steps, but I cannot diagnose conditions or prescribe treatments.”
By setting clear boundaries, the chatbot ensures users understand its scope, avoiding misplaced expectations and reinforcing confidence in its guidance.
12 Chatbot Use Cases in Healthcare
1. Patient onboarding
Collect basic patient details and guide them through the initial registration process, streamlining their entry into the healthcare system.
2. Appointment scheduling and management
Chatbots help patients find available slots, confirm appointments, and handle rescheduling or cancellations with ease.
3. Symptom assessment and triage
Chatbots ask structured questions to collect symptoms, guiding patients toward early diagnosis or directing them to the right care, from urgent care to self-monitoring.
4. Reminders for prescription refills and vaccinations
Never miss a refill again. Chatbots send timely alerts to keep patients on top of their health routines.
5. Pre-appointment or surgery preparation
Chatbots share tailored instructions, like pre-surgery dietary restrictions or checklists, to ensure patients are fully prepared for their next appointment.
6. Healthcare insurance claims
Filing claims doesn’t have to be a headache. Chatbots guide patients step-by-step through submissions and help them check claim statuses.
7. Mental health assistance
For emotional support, chatbots provide self-guided mental health tools, like journaling and mindfulness exercises, or connect users to professional therapists.
8. Ongoing care support
Healthcare chatbots provide continuous support for patients managing chronic conditions or recovering from treatments.
They offer features like medication reminders, symptom tracking, and follow-ups, helping patients stay on track with their care plans while giving providers valuable insights.
9. Medical record requests
Chatbots simplify the process of accessing and submitting medical record requests. Patients can securely request records with just a few clicks, eliminating the hassle of paperwork and long wait times.
10. Symptom tracking
Keep tabs on symptoms like a pro. Chatbots log and analyze changes over time, helping with chronic condition management or supporting diagnoses.
11. Post-treatment instructions
Chatbots make post-procedure care simple by providing clear guidelines tailored to the treatment.
For example, after surgery, they can send reminders to clean wounds or avoid certain activities, while for physical therapy, they can share videos or step-by-step instructions for exercises.
12. Language translation
Chatbots can communicate – via voice or text – in the patient’s preferred language, making care accessible across linguistic barriers.
Benefits of Chatbots in Healthcare
Anonymity = more honest responses
Sometimes it can feel easier to be honest with a program than another human.
Sensely found that users were 3x more accurate when engaging with an avatar over a human – and 4 out of 5 users preferred interacting with the avatar.
Anonymous healthcare options allow more patients to seek care – and allows existing patients to be more honest when reporting personal information.
Personalized care
AI chatbots offer tailored support, in limitless use cases. They can:
- Send medication and appointment reminders based on individual schedules
- Track personal health metrics like weight, mood, or symptoms over time
- Provide customized advice for managing chronic conditions
This level of scaled personalization was impossible without AI – it ensures care aligns with each patient’s unique needs and goals.
24/7 accessibility
Unlike traditional healthcare services, chatbots don’t have office hours. They’re always available to answer questions, provide support, or guide patients through next steps.
Efficient triage
Healthcare chatbots a) save time and b) better allocate resources for patients and healthcare providers alike.
Chatbots collect and analyze symptoms to direct patients to the right care setting – whether it’s urgent care, a specialist, family doctor, or self-care and monitoring at home.
Higher patient engagement
By providing timely updates, interactive guidance, and health reminders, chatbots keep patients actively involved in their care. This consistent engagement empowers users to take control of their health journey.
Cost efficiency
Automating routine tasks like appointment scheduling, medication reminders, and symptom triage reduces the workload for staff, allowing them to focus their resources.
Accessible health education
There’s a critical gap in healthcare knowledge – patients often lack clear, reliable information about their conditions, treatments, or preventive measures.
Chatbots fill this gap by delivering accurate, easy-to-understand explanations, empowering patients to make informed decisions about their health.
How to Implement a Healthcare Chatbot
Launching a healthcare chatbot can seem challenging, with complexities around deployment, integration, and ensuring compliance. But with a clear strategy and the right platform, you can have a functional chatbot up and running in weeks.
Here’s how to get started:
1. Define Your Objectives
Decide what your healthcare chatbot should achieve. Will it handle appointment scheduling, send prescription reminders, or assist with patient triage?
Your objectives will determine the features to prioritize and the type of chatbot you choose. Most modern healthcare chatbots are LLM agents, powered by large language models for natural language understanding and flexible interactions.
Clearly defined goals will guide workflow design and platform selection, ensuring your chatbot meets the unique needs of your organization.
2. Choose the Right AI Platform
Selecting the right platform is critical. Look for one with:
- Customization options for tailoring the chatbot’s responses to healthcare-specific use cases.
- Integration capabilities with EHR systems, scheduling tools, and patient portals.
- LLM-agnostic frameworks to allow flexibility in choosing or customizing AI models.
A robust platform ensures scalability and compliance while supporting advanced healthcare requirements.
3. Integrate with Core Systems
To maximize your chatbot’s value, connect it to essential tools like:
- EHR platforms for accessing patient data securely.
- Appointment scheduling systems for real-time booking updates.
- Billing and insurance tools to streamline claims management.
- Analytics platforms to monitor performance and refine interactions.
These integrations ensure the chatbot functions as a seamless part of your healthcare infrastructure.
4. Build and Test Extensively
Design conversation workflows, create response scripts, and configure the chatbot to align with your goals. Conduct rigorous testing to simulate patient interactions, identifying areas for improvement in accuracy and usability.
Refine responses and workflows iteratively, using test results and user feedback to perfect the chatbot’s capabilities.
5. Deploy and Monitor
Once deployed, monitor your chatbot’s interactions using chatbot analytics tools. Track key metrics like response accuracy, patient satisfaction, and task completion rates.
Make ongoing updates to improve performance, whether it’s refining workflows, adding features, or training the chatbot on new data.
For a smooth rollout, partner with a chatbot platform that offers strong Customer Success Management support to help you optimize your chatbot throughout its lifecycle.
Deploy a healthcare chatbot with expert guidance
Healthcare is being revolutionized with AI, from scheduling to symptom tracking to long-term mental health support.
Botpress is a flexible, enterprise-grade chatbot platform designed for deployment across use cases – institutions can deploy chatbots and AI agents tailored to handle academic advising, campus navigation, financial aid queries, and more.
With a robust security suite, Botpress ensures sensitive student data is protected and fully controlled by your institution.
Start building today. It’s free.
Or contact our sales team to learn more.
FAQ
How much does a healthcare chatbot cost?
Healthcare chatbots range from free versions with basic features to enterprise solutions costing hundreds or thousands of dollars per month. Most use subscription models, with pricing based on features and user volume.
Are healthcare chatbots safe?
When designed properly, healthcare chatbots are generally safe. They follow strict protocols, rely on verified medical databases, and are intended to complement – not replace – professional care, ensuring patients are directed to appropriate resources when needed.
What about the data privacy of healthcare chatbots?
Healthcare chatbots typically comply with data privacy regulations like HIPAA or GDPR, using encryption to protect patient information. However, users should verify that the chatbot provider adheres to these standards before sharing sensitive data.
How are healthcare chatbots trained?
Healthcare chatbots are trained using custom LLMs (large language models) tailored to healthcare. These models are fine-tuned with medical datasets, industry guidelines, and user feedback to ensure accurate, context-specific responses.
Do healthcare chatbots replace doctors?
No, healthcare chatbots don’t replace doctors – and they’re not intended to. They serve as supportive tools, providing preliminary assistance or follow-ups, and then directing patients to professional care if necessary.
How do healthcare chatbots work?
Healthcare chatbots use natural language processing to understand and respond to user input. They analyze questions or symptoms, access medical databases, and provide tailored guidance, all while learning from interactions to improve accuracy over time.
Are healthcare chatbots customizable for specific organizations?
Yes, healthcare chatbots can be customized for specific organizations by integrating custom LLMs, adapting workflows, and tailoring features like appointment scheduling, symptom triage, or EHR integration to meet unique operational and patient needs.
What technology powers healthcare chatbots?
Healthcare chatbots are powered by AI technologies like natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning, often leveraging custom LLMs. These technologies enable chatbots to understand user input, generate responses, and continuously improve through interaction data.
Table of Contents
Stay up to date with the latest on AI agents
Share this on:
.svg)
.webp)
