Move from IVR to AI receptionist: Implementation and EMR integration

Onboarding typically takes one to three weeks for athenahealth and eClinicalWorks, and three to six weeks for other EMRs. This includes phone number porting, EMR integration testing, intake workflow configuration, and staff briefing. Some practices choose to run parallel for a week to build confidence before fully switching.

No. Your phone number remains the same. We handle the routing change—calls that previously reached your IVR now reach the AI receptionist. Patients and referring providers see no change in your contact details.

No reconfiguration needed on your side. The AI receptionist integration is installed by the vendor. Your EMR continues working normally. Appointments and new patient demographics appear in your calendar and patient list. Your staff workflow doesn't change.

This is handled during implementation. You and the vendor define which questions the AI asks (insurance, chief complaint, urgency, etc.), which appointment types it can book, and how it should escalate urgent calls. All customization happens before go-live.

Yes. Many practices do a parallel run—one phone number routes to IVR, a second number or extension routes to AI. After a week of testing, you switch all calls to AI. This gives staff and leadership confidence before full cutover.

Minimal. Receptionists and schedulers see appointments booked by AI in their normal calendar. Billing staff see new patient demographics in the EMR. Clinical staff see structured intake summaries. Staff need a short orientation, not days of training.

Technically possible, though rarely needed. Most practices complete parallel testing and feel confident before switching. If an issue arises, you can revert phone routing to IVR while the vendor troubleshoots—typically takes minutes, not hours.