Buying Guide
A practical checklist to evaluate voice AI vendors. Covers EMR integration depth, compliance readiness, pilot design, and pricing transparency—separating credible platforms from overclaimed solutions.
Some vendors claim 'EMR integration' but actually require you to export data from their system and manually import it into your chart. Ask: 'Does the vendor's system read from and write to my EMR natively, or do we export CSV files?' If it's the latter, you're locked into their data format.
Many vendors say they're 'HIPAA-ready' but haven't passed a real BAA audit. Ask for proof: 'Have you executed BAAs with healthcare clients? Can you provide a reference practice we can call?' Avoid vendors whose answer is 'We're working on it' or 'You'll need to set that up with your IT.'
Vendors often pilot on data they control or non-representative calls. Instead, propose: 'We'll run live after-hours calls for 2 weeks, record them, measure failed escalations, and check that every appointment syncs to our EMR without staff re-entry.' This is the only pilot design that predicts real-world performance.
Per-seat licensing charges you for capacity you may never use. Instead, ask for per-call pricing with a minimum monthly cap. If the vendor won't offer this, they're optimizing for their revenue, not your ROI.
Native EMR integration verified in writing
Live demo with YOUR EMR credentials, not a sandbox
BAA and compliance proof provided
Reference practices and audit trail documentation available
Production pilot with your actual call volume
2+ weeks of live traffic, outcomes measured against baseline
Transparent pricing model
Per-call costs and minimums clearly stated in writing
'Can I call your system right now and have it book an appointment that shows up in MY eClinicalWorks / athenahealth / [your EMR] account within 10 seconds?' If they can't or won't, integration isn't native. Hang up and call the next vendor.
If the vendor designs the pilot, it will succeed. If YOU design it, using your real call patterns and your staff's feedback on scenarios, you get a real answer. Red flag: 'We'll set up a demo environment and send you test calls.' That's not a pilot; it's a sales call.
Yes. Ask: 'Did the system integrate with your EMR without custom development?' 'How long was your pilot before full rollout?' 'Did staff adoption happen smoothly, or did you hit resistance?' 'Would you recommend this vendor to a peer?' Reference practices will tell you what the sales team won't.
1) They can't show you native integration with your EMR. 2) They won't provide a BAA or references with HIPAA-regulated clients. 3) They quote per-seat pricing or 'starting at $X/month' without specifying minimum call volume. 4) They claim extremely high automation rates or clinical accuracy claims. 5) They pressure you to sign before a pilot.
Ask them to prove it with YOUR EHR during a demo. If they hedge ('We'll need your IT team to set it up' or 'It requires custom integration'), walk away. Any vendor claiming universal integration without named native partnerships is selling generic voice AI, not a healthcare-specific platform.
See how MedReception AI handles after-hours calls, scheduling, intake, and patient communication for medical practices like yours.
