Dodo launches AI Receptionist for the medical marketplace

Ewan MacLeod

Aug 16, 2024 — 2 min read

Screenshot of the Dodo homepage

I had to smile when I saw Dodo's offering: What a fantastic use of Conversational AI!

Here's the overview:

Dodo handles client communication for front desks end-to-end, starting with vet clinics 🐶
- Our AI receptionist manages calls, books appointments, and answers questions by interacting with internal practice software
- Same-day cancellations trigger automatic outbound calls, filling availabilities on short notice
- This means no more hold music, phone trees (”press 1 for x”), or voicemail beeps (sorry if you like listening to jingles for minutes on end 🎶)

Conversational AI is perfect for this kind of highly focused, repetitive set of processes.

I can imagine this spreading like wildfire as Vet practices get comfortable with the idea of using this kind of technology.

Is this a thing, though? According to the Dodo team's Y-Combinator write-up, Vets handle 80% of their communication over the phone – and, perhaps more importantly – callers to Vet surgeries spend almost 67% of their call time on hold!

Here are the standard use cases the Dodo team have defined:

Frequently Asked Questions
Appointment scheduling (including cancelling, rescheduling etc.)
Prescription Refill
Registration of new clients
Emergency routing

I'm sure many would have questions before just going live with something like Dodo, so I think their deployment model makes a lot of sense.

They start by forwarding voicemails to the AI – so the AI begins to learn from your non-live calls before being deployed full time, or as you require it. I think it would be particularly helpful to ensure you're always able to answer calls to the clinic, even if AI.

I would also suggest that this is an excellent candidate for chat - I know many Americans love calling. But so many younger Americans will absolutely not and given the rise of social media, I think the ability to be able to interact with your Veterinary Surgery through WhatsApp, Instagram or whatever messaging channel you prefer, will become increasingly valuable.

As for myself, I'd much prefer to all of this straight from WhatsApp. Scheduling, advice, queries, prescriptions ... and what's more, I'd like it the other way. I'd like the AI to be reaching out to me to arrange prescription refill or vaccinations. I'm sure that's something that the Dodo team are working on.

Good luck Team Dodo!

Reach out to the Dodo team here...