AI receptionist fails to book patients’ appointments as it can’t understand their accent

An AI receptionist system called EMMA, used by clinics in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, has failed to understand some patients' Yorkshire accents, forcing them to visit in person. Healthwatch Rotherham reported the system caused frustration for some, while the developer QuanumLoopAI said EMMA is trained to understand a wide range of accents and supports 17 languages, and transfers calls to humans when needed.

Some patients in England have had to forego phone appointments and visit doctors in person after an AI receptionist struggled to understand their accents over the phone. The issues were reported at clinics in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, where practices have begun using an AI-powered system called EMMA to handle calls from patients. However, the technology has struggled with understanding certain British accents, specifically those in Yorkshire, leaving some patients unable to have their requests granted. AI receptionist struggles with Yorkshire accents The AI system, called EMMA, allows patients to call their local clinic and explain what they need before using artificial intelligence to process their request. However, a local health watchdog told the BBC https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c141dn3d26do that some patients were having difficulty getting the AI to understand them. Those problems reportedly included the system struggling with regional accents, different speech patterns and people who don’t speak English as their first language. In some cases, patients became so frustrated trying to communicate over the phone that they instead visited their clinic in person to get help. Healthwatch Rotherham said the system had “caused frustration” for some, while others had found it useful. The technology is being used as part of efforts to handle the large number of calls received by doctors’ surgeries, with patients able to describe why they’re calling without having to navigate traditional phone menus. However, Healthwatch Rotherham said it wanted patients to continue having the option of speaking to a person when the AI wasn’t suitable for them. Related In a statement to the BBC, a spokesperson for the company behind EMMA, QuanumLoopAI, said reception to the system had been “overwhelmingly positive,” adding: “EMMA does not make clinical decisions. She is designed and trained to understand a wide range of accents and dialects and supports 17 languages in addition to English. Where she is unable to understand or deal with a patient’s request, the call is transferred to the reception team.”