Dr.JOY's AI Phone Service Reaches an Impressive Milestone
On June 2024, Dr.JOY Corporation, known for providing various solutions to enhance efficiency in medical settings, announced that their AI phone service, specifically designed for healthcare providers, has been implemented in a remarkable 105 facilities within just one year of launching. This service addresses persistent issues faced by hospitals and clinics, such as frequent phone call interruptions and the inability to connect calls promptly. With its ability to ensure 24/7 availability and a phone response rate of 100%, the AI phone service is proving its value as a solution that significantly lightens the workload for healthcare professionals.
The AI phone service has received accolades, including the
Excellence Award at the inaugural “Hospital DX Award 2025,” highlighting its role in advancing digital transformation within the medical field. In a survey targeting staff at participating medical facilities, a staggering
96% reported experiencing tangible improvements in operations due to the service, underscoring its impact on the efficiency of telephone operations.
Background Behind the AI Phone Development
The development of the AI phone was spurred by a pressing need in medical environments. Patients frequently expressed frustration over connectivity issues when attempting to reach their healthcare providers, and staff often found themselves overwhelmed with phone inquiries, which detracted from their core responsibilities. For instance, one medical institution reported receiving over
1,200 calls daily, only managing to respond to about
70% of them, leading to an increased burden on both patients and healthcare personnel. The AI phone was developed to tackle these challenges head-on.
The AI service operates 24/7, efficiently managing appointment scheduling and inquiries, thus alleviating the staff's load and allowing them to focus on their primary medical duties while boosting patient satisfaction.
Features of the AI Phone Service
The AI phone service offers a wide array of functionalities, including:
- - Appointment scheduling (new bookings, changes, cancellations, confirmations)
- - Health check / medical screening appointments
- - Clarification requests (medication-related inquiries)
- - Regional coordination (appointment requests, document request confirmations)
- - Staff duty notifications
- - Inter-facility transportation
- - BCP (business continuity planning) support
Success Stories from Implementing Facilities
Urasoe General Hospital
- - Implementation Results: 80% reduction in incoming calls per month (from 7,191 to 1,455) and 95% reduction in unresponsive calls (from 6,160 to 291).
- - Increase in new appointment bookings by 1.6 times and an additional 50 outpatient patients monthly from the three-month average before implementation. The staff structure changed from seven to four, stabilizing operations and eliminating complaints about unreachable phone lines.
Kurashiki Central Hospital
- - Implementation Results: 20% increase in received calls; average response time per staff member dropped to about one-third (from 10 minutes to 3-5 minutes). Complaints about not being able to connect calls were similarly resolved.
Koyama Memorial Hospital
- - Implementation Results: Improved concentration and efficiency, with the AI optimized for handling queries, allowing for more effective communication with patients.
Urasoe General Hospital & Sapporo Tokushukai Hospital (Emergency Situations)
- - Implementation Results: The AI phone consistently handles initial responses even during disasters, ensuring patients are not inconvenienced.
Testimonials from Key Personnel
CEO Hiroaki Ishimatsu