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Clinic

What AI gets wrong in a clinic

The same request, answered twice by the same AI. The first answer is built only from what's in the system: the booking diary, the price list, the website. The second also has what your team knows.

Most of what makes the second answer right lives in your most experienced people's heads, and it leaves with them unless someone writes it down.

  1. Rebooking a patient

    “Mrs Ahmed cancelled Thursday. Rebook her into the first free slot.”

    Without your context

    Rebooked for Monday at 9am with Dr Lewis, the first available slot.

    With it

    Not with Dr Lewis: Mrs Ahmed has asked to see a female practitioner. It's on her paper notes, not in the booking system. The first slot with Sarah is Tuesday at 2.

    What it was missing
    A patient's preference, written on paper notes the booking system can't see.
    What it costs
    A patient who asked for a female practitioner walking in to find a man, and probably not coming back.

  2. An insurance question

    “A patient asks whether their insurance will cover a course of treatment here.”

    Without your context

    Yes. We're registered with all the major insurers, so your treatment should be covered.

    With it

    Ask which insurer first. We're registered with most of them, but Calder Health dropped us from its network in March, and the website still lists them. If it's Calder, tell them before they book.

    What it was missing
    Which insurers changed this year, which the website hasn't caught up with.
    What it costs
    A patient finding out at the end of a course of treatment that their insurer won't pay.

  3. Appointment reminders

    “Send tomorrow's appointment reminders.”

    Without your context

    Text reminders sent to all 18 patients booked in tomorrow.

    With it

    Not by text to Mr Doyle: he asked to be contacted by phone only. That's on a note in his file, not in the reminder system, so call him instead.

    What it was missing
    Contact preferences kept in notes, not in the system that sends the messages.
    What it costs
    A message he asked you not to send, and a patient who no longer trusts you with his details.

  4. New patient forms

    “Send the new patient forms to tomorrow's first-time patients.”

    Without your context

    The standard new patient pack has gone to all four.

    With it

    The Morgans' son needs the children's pack, not the adult one. And Mr Price isn't really new: he's coming back after five years, so he needs the update form, not the full pack.

    What it was missing
    Which form goes to whom, which reception just knows.
    What it costs
    Parents filling in an adult form for their child, and a long-standing patient treated like a stranger.

  5. Covering leave

    “Move Dr Patel's patients to the locum while she's on leave next week.”

    Without your context

    All 26 appointments moved to the locum, at the same times.

    With it

    Not the six on ongoing treatment plans: Dr Patel asked to see them herself, so offer them the week after. Move the rest, and let them know in advance they'll see someone different.

    What it was missing
    Which patients a practitioner wants to keep, and the courtesy of warning the others.
    What it costs
    Patients partway through treatment meeting a stranger without warning, and complaints waiting when she's back.

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If any of those sound familiar, the fastest way to find your version of it is the Context Audit: one 90-minute session, a written brief back on what's going wrong and why.

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