Hospitals turn to chatbots, AI for care

Chatbots and virtual health assistants may be coming to a hospital near you. As providers look to better engage patients and improve efficiency, many are turning to artificial intelligence to help them succeed. AI-powered medical assistants can book appointments, remind patients to take their pills, monitor a patient's health status and perform other time-intensive tasks. They can also assist with inventory, billing and claims management. In Arizona, a doctor designed an influenza campaign around a chatbot that alerted patients when flu shots were in and invited them to get protection.