Key facts
- An AI receptionist named Emma is being used in South Yorkshire GP surgeries.
- Patients with broad Yorkshire accents are reportedly struggling to be understood by the AI.
- The AI's limitations are causing frustration, with some patients hanging up and not booking appointments.
- Some patients are traveling to GP surgeries in person because they cannot navigate the AI system by phone.
- The AI system is designed to understand a range of accents and supports 17 languages.
- Callers can request to speak to a human receptionist at any time if the AI cannot understand them.
Patients in South Yorkshire are experiencing significant frustration with a new AI receptionist, Emma, used in several GP surgeries. Healthwatch Rotherham, a local health watchdog, has received accounts of the AI failing to understand patients' broad Yorkshire accents, leading to difficulties in booking appointments and some individuals resorting to in-person visits. Kym Gleeson, manager at Healthwatch Rotherham, noted that the variation in accents across South Yorkshire poses a challenge for the system, causing distress and preventing patients from using the telephone as a primary means of contact. These issues are particularly concerning for older individuals and those less confident with digital technology. QuantumLoopAI, the developer of Emma, asserts that the system is designed to comprehend a wide array of accents and dialects, supporting 17 languages. They also state that callers can request to speak to a human receptionist at any time if the AI is unable to understand their request, emphasizing that Emma does not make clinical decisions and aims to improve access by answering calls instantly.