Instrument your lines
- •Track answer speed separately for AI and human legs.
- •Tag exceptions when calls skip AI (VIP hotlines, direct dials).
Experience KPI•Patient experience
Hold Time Target
Defines the acceptable seconds-to-answer once AI is live, with clear escalations when humans are needed.
Patient-experience leaders need a tangible promise to take to surveys and NPS boards. This KPI keeps everyone focused on delivering <15-second greetings while ensuring escalations never sit longer than a minute.
Measured in seconds from initial ring to greeting.
AI greeting
< 5 seconds
Instant answer for every inbound call.
Human escalation SLA
< 60 seconds
Maintains overall <15-second experience.
Coach to exceptions
- •Review any escalations exceeding the SLA in weekly huddles.
- •Document root causes—staff coverage, transfer loops, ticket backlog.
Assumptions
What this KPI assumes
AI always first
AI answers before staff unless routed direct to humans.
Escalation routing
Warm handoffs include context so humans can respond fast.
Supporting proofs
Share with finance + ops partners
Need a hold-time dashboard?
We’ll set up a shared SLA tracker with alerts when escalations exceed the target.