Imagine a world where patients can effortlessly reach their healthcare providers, getting instant access to services and personalized support 24/7. For Annapolis Internal Medicine, this world became a reality after implementing cutting-edge AI technology. The Maryland-based independent primary care practice was facing a daunting challenge: handling hundreds of phone calls daily for various issues, including prescription refills, referrals, insurance verification, and triaging appointments.
## The Struggle is Real
Annapolis Internal Medicine’s primary care practice was like many others – struggling to keep up with the influx of calls. The practice needed people to handle these calls, but finding reliable staff became increasingly expensive and time-consuming. Many calls were handled by clinicians whose job was not to answer the phone but to care for patients. “I did not believe that the value added for human intervention was there for many of the calls – they were just transmitting a message to my clinicians or me instead of handling end to end,” said Dr. Titus Abraham, managing partner at Annapolis Internal Medicine.
## The Turning Point
Dr. Abraham initially considered natural language processing programs but found them lacking. However, with the large language model breakout in 2023, he saw potential in LLMs. He discovered vendor Assort Health, which offers a unified patient access platform that uses NLP and an LLM with agentic functionality. “This agentic AI handles routine scheduling, triage, and other inbound requests,” he explained. “Our patients know this technology as the affable ‘Aimee,’ who is fast, friendly, and available 24/7.” The platform integrates with the practice’s EHR, dramatically shortening hold times and preventing missed calls.
## Meeting the Challenge
Annapolis Internal Medicine started using the platform to streamline patient access. AI agents across voice, SMS, and email manage scheduling, triage, FAQs, and message capture – freeing staff for higher-value work. The practice expanded its use of the platform to outbound patient engagement, launching proactive scheduling campaigns with AI agents reaching out to patients directly across multiple channels. “We started with annual flu shot reminders – we now can report that 61% of flu shot appointments were booked through agentic AI outreach,” Dr. Abraham noted.
## Results
Since implementing the AI platform, the patient experience has improved dramatically. Patient satisfaction ratings rose from 3.5 to 4.3 out of 5.0, a significant change for both patients and staff. Patients now receive immediate responses instead of waiting on hold or dealing with missed calls. The AI agents consistently handle inquiries accurately and politely, automating scheduling, triage, and outreach. Labor capacity has more than doubled without adding staff, resulting in a 220% increase in capacity. Hold times have dropped dramatically from four minutes to under one minute, and the practice has successfully booked 61% of flu shot appointments through AI-driven communication.
## The Future of Healthcare
The success of Annapolis Internal Medicine’s AI implementation serves as a testament to the potential of technology in revolutionizing primary care. By providing patients with instant access to services and personalized support, healthcare providers can improve patient satisfaction, increase labor capacity, and reduce hold times. As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, it’s clear that AI will play a crucial role in shaping the future of healthcare. By embracing this technology, healthcare providers can create a more patient-centered, efficient, and effective system that benefits both patients and staff.
