Chatbots should handle intake at the doctor’s office

The user was the only one in the waiting room for a blood pressure appointment and had already completed online registration beforehand.
Upon arrival, the user had to use a kiosk for check-in, then go to the front desk to confirm personal information, and wait in an adjacent room.
The user was incorrectly pronounced by the medical assistant, Sandy, after their name was called, causing confusion.
Sandy conducted an “intake” process that included unnecessary personal questions regarding mental health despite the focus being on blood pressure.
The user felt Sandy was lacking in empathy and professionalism throughout the “intake” process.
The user wondered if a chatbot on the kiosk could have provided a more efficient and respectful experience.
The author, a retired clinical doctor and bioethicist, advocates reframing check-ins using AI to gather basic information neutrally, easing the “empathy problem” in medicine.

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