Medtech’s new AI chatbot helps answer customer questions

Medtech is the only practice management system (PMS) provider in New Zealand using an AI chatbot for customer support queries.

The newest member of leading health IT company Medtech Global may only be a few weeks old, but she’s already helped answer hundreds of customer questions.

Sara, Medtech’s new AI chatbot, has been hard at work since July offering support to customers around the clock.

Medtech is the only practice management system (PMS) provider in New Zealand using an AI chatbot for customer support queries.

Medtech is the country’s preferred PMS provider with around 70% of GP practices using Medtech 32 or Medtech Evolution.

Chrissie Patterson, Medtech’s product manager, says Sara is available to answer questions 24/7.

“It’s incredibly convenient, particularly for anyone who has a query on the weekend or outside usual business hours,” Chrissie says.

Another huge benefit is that a customer’s question can be answered in real-time.

“This ends up saving customers a lot of time because they get a response straight away from Sara, rather than waiting on the phone for a response or waiting for an email from somebody at the support desk.”

Sara’s home inside Insight

Sara is available to answer questions through Medtech’s customer portal, Insight, which was developed to help customers access support services online.

Customers type their question and Sara responds in text. If customers have a microphone- enabled device, they can speak their question and Sara will respond in text.

Chrissie says Medtech is busy working on integrating Sara into Medtech32 and Medtech Evolution.

Sara has an extremely high accuracy rate when answering customer questions, Chrissie says.

“She can answer a question directly, direct a customer to our online knowledgebase or if she gets stuck or can’t answer, she’ll put the customer through to the support desk where they can talk to a person.”

Chrissie says Sara is particularly adept at answering ‘how-to’ questions.

Playful, fun side

However, she also has a playful, fun side.

“She can converse like she’s a real person and you can ask her how she is or what she’s doing and she’ll respond. You can even ask her to tell you a joke and she’ll tell you one. It’s a very cool technology.”

Sara is named after Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of knowledge, wisdom, music, art, and learning.

“It’s a great name for her and is a nod to an important part of the culture of our organization.”

Chrissie says the Medtech team worked hard to develop Sara.

“We had a separate data science team working on the AI side of things and the rest of the organization working on the knowledge base that sits under Sara that enables her to answer questions,” she says.

Medtech looking to the future

“Eventually Sara will be able to answer finance and sales questions, not just customer support ones.”

Chrissie says AI is an exciting, game-changing technology.

“Sara is a stepping-stone for Medtech into integrating AI into its software. This is just the beginning,” she says.

“We’re always looking for innovative ways to improve our customer experience and support services and we’re working on some amazing new AI technology. Watch this space.”