AI enabled Chatbot Solution are undoubtedly revolutionizing the major industries around the globe and the healthcare industry is no more an exception to this.

Organizations today are reaping benefits of these AI-enabled virtual messengers for automating their routine processes and offering clients full 24×7 support virtually helping them for queries related to payments, orders, other services etc.

As per a report from Accenture, the AI health market is set to register a compound annual growth rate of 40% through 2021 and chatbots are ready to make a mark on the healthcare industry.

Most of the healthcare facilities are seeking to integrate chatbot technology. The most innovative chatbots have many features like helping users check their symptoms, diagnose the health condition, and depending on the diagnosis, schedule an appointment, and provide direct telemedicine consultation with a doctor via video or voice calls. 

This article enlists the benefits, types, future trends and cost analysis of integrating a chatbot solution to your next healthcare app development.  

Recommended read– Most Effective Role of AI(Artificial Intelligence) in Healthcare Industry

Future of Chatbots in Healthcare Industry

Over past times, chatbots have witnessed a high demand from major sections of the industry- from ecommerce, education, finance, on-demand to logistics and healthcare. If we believe a prediction made recently- “By the time we reach 2024, the market size of Chatbots would have increased to $1.34 Billion.”

Hospital staffing shortage is a major problem many healthcare facilities are facing. To overcome this, they are integrating healthcare AI chatbots so as to facilitate an easy patients interaction.

Speaking to a chatbot is the same as speaking to a nurse or doctor. This technology advancement is seen as a promising way of how patients get in touch with healthcare providers. Estimations say that the number of chatbot interactions will hit 2.8 billion per year by 2023.

Types of Chatbots in Healthcare for Customer Service

Before you actually proceed to building chatbot solutions for your healthcare facility, you must have an understanding of the different types of chatbots.

FAQ chatbot

A basic question-answer chatot that offers the patients/users with automated responses to their frequently asked questions in the most natural conversational style.

Conversational chatbot

This type of chatbot is particularly used to keep users engaged. The chatbot converses in the same language like that of end users and keeps users engaged till a human customer care executive comes online to resolve the query.

Transactional chatbot

These types of chatbots help the app users inquire about a service, or seek to buy any product or service through the app without talking to a human customer care representative. Use case- Chatbots for Mental Health (discussed below).

Predictive Chatbot

The most advanced chatbots in the market today! They incorporate heavy machine learning in them that analyze the predictive user behaviour and answer them accordingly.

Prescriptive Chatbots

Prescriptive chatbots are conversational by design and are developed not only for offering answers but also for providing therapeutic solutions.

Informative Chatbots

Informative chatbots offer useful data for users in the form of notifications, and pop-ups. They offer automated client support. Mental health websites and health news sites utilize this type of chatbot for helping them access more detailed data regarding a topic.

Trends/Application Areas of Chatbots in Healthcare

Below, we have listed some use cases of chatbots that describe the various advantages to patients, medical service providers, and doctors:

• Chatbots for Client Service

Chatbots help you in website navigation or solving any minor issue you are facing with a healthcare app or site. In this regard, chatbots may be in the future will issue reminders, schedule appointments, or help refill prescription medicines.

• Chatbots for Health Tracking

Chatbots are used to track the health status of patients. Most of the medical providers utilize bots for connecting patients and doctors & remain updated about their health records.

• Chatbots for Mental Health

Different bots offer users a human-like experience in resolving their health related queries. These chatbots give you the same feel as talking to a real individual.

For individuals suffering from mental illness, chatbots utilize a conversational method to discuss in-detail about a user’s feelings. Furthermore, a healthcare expert can simply take over discussing more about the mental condition of the patient.

• Chatbots for Employing and Training

Large healthcare facilities are continuously employing and onboarding new employees. Chatbots are also utilised for carrying out the tasks of HR departments in larger healthcare facilities.

Whether it’s hiring new employees, processing the onboarding of a hired candidate or carrying out the daily HR tasks like requests for leave, vacation time, and more, chatbots can be effectively integrated into the system & help automate the process eliminating manual tasks of the HR department.

• Chatbots for Clinical Research & Treatment

Chatbots coupled with machine learning capabilities assess data and studies quicker than ever. With the continuous outflow of new cancer research, it’s daunting  to manage records of the experimental data research. This can be managed by an AI-enabled device, keeps track of all research data & offers solid suggestions for patients and doctors.

• Chatbots for Billing and Claims

Healthcare Chatbots are also being utilized for medical bills, insurance agencies, and claims and can help file claims, and track those claims’ status. These chatbots also help doctors in the billing inquiries and the pre-authorization procedure.

Recommended Read – Healthcare App Develoment Trends in 2020

Benefits of Chatbot Solution in Healthcare (both Patients & Businesses)

AI-enabled chatbots offer a bunch of benefits & advantages to both patients & healthcare facilities, some being discussed below:

For Patients

• Enhance Patient Access

Patients can have easy access to any healthcare information 24X7 and are no more restricted to office hours of a healthcare facility. 

• Automate Data Deployment

Data can be distributed through bots as required at any point of time. 

• Chatbots Save You Money

As per expert estimation, healthcare bots will save $3.6 billion worldwide by 2022, up from an estimated $2.8 billion in 2017.

• Can handle a number of requests

Too many requests are something a human customer care team can’t handle manually in a short time. Moreover, you need to hire more people to handle those requests. A well integrated chatbot solution alone can deal with thousands of interactions hassle-free.

• Records Quick Patient Data for future use

Chatbots not only facilitate patient interactions but also help recording the internal data of patients. Many institutions are going with AI-enabled Chatbots that keep a record of essential data and notify healthcare experts when required.

For Healthcare Facilities/Businesses

• Lower Operational Cost

The biggest operational cost in businesses revolves around the number of incoming calls. By satisfying the queries of every visitor visiting them through chatbots, healthcare businesses can save on the cost associated with the increasing call volumes.

• Cut Down Labor Expense

In a report, McKinsey estimated that around 29% of customer service positions in the US can get automated via a properly designed chatbot. Chatbots can handle multiple people at one time, this cut down the labor expense incur by businesses hiring new employees.

• Cost Effective 24*7 Availability

The modern-day customers expect businesses to be available 24*7 to answer their queries at all hours. Thus, it is mandatory for businesses to function on a 24*7 mode to not lose on the prospective sales and this is only possible via an efficient chatbot solution.

• Offers Greater Revenue

Healthcare businesses have been using Chatbots for lead conversion and greater sales. Chatbots increase the user engagement to a greater level which in turn leads to attain a greater revenue for a healthcare business.

Tech Stack Needed to Build a Healthcare Chatbot Solution

Backend system to manage messages coming in from different channels and to process them with NLP offerings like Api.ai, LUIS, or Wit.ai.

Integration of Specific Channels for creating the endpoints. These channels serve the purpose for sending and getting messages relying on the access token authorization.

NLP Services like  Luis, Api.ai, and Wit.ai for extracting the entities and intents out of the user message received from a specific channel. 

Conversational Intelligence using decision trees, slot based algos, state workflows, or other deep learning methodologies for controlling the conversation.  To build an intelligent chatbot, you will have to create an algorithm for every single conversation and navigation so that users can start from scratch. 

Integration of Chatbots involving factors like business logic rules and validations, the persistence of data. This is required to execute processes like booking appointments, buying products, ordering items, etc. 

How Much Does It Cost to Develop a Healthcare Chatbot Solution?

Going with all discussed features, tech stacks needed, the approximate cost that comes for development of your bot will be in the range of $20,000 to $30,000. The chatbot development cost range includes the design, development, and integration part of the whole chatbot app development process.

The price may go up with every customized development. For example, executing an AI engine with ML algorithms will increase the price for development.

Looking for an AI-driven chatbot software solution for your healthcare facility?

Connect to expert Chatbot developers from QSS Technosoft– a CMMI level 3 certified Chatbot development company in India!  Our proficient Chatbot developers offer comprehensive chatbot app development solutions from IVR bots, text bots to messaging bots, and online chatbots for Facebook, Twitter, and more. Till now, we have delivered chatbot solutions for industries like customer services, online booking services, healthcare assistance; travel, eCommerce, entertainment, delivery services, etc.

Discuss about your chatbot project over a quick call!