Frequently asked questions

Updated September 11, 2026

Straight answers to the questions practice managers ask us most. If yours is not here, book a 15-minute call or email jeffrey@samantha-medical.com.

What is an AI medical receptionist and how does it work?

An AI medical receptionist is software that answers your practice's phone line and holds the conversation itself. Samantha verifies callers, reads availability, books or changes appointments, takes messages, and screens for emergencies. Every call lands in a briefing for your front desk. She runs after hours by default and can also take overflow and outbound calls.

What happens if a caller has a medical emergency?

Every call is screened for an emergency before Samantha responds to anything else. If the call is urgent, she tells the caller to hang up and dial 911 and, when configured, brings on-call staff onto the line. She never triages or schedules around an emergency.

Will patients know they are talking to an AI?

Yes. Samantha introduces herself as the practice's virtual receptionist and never pretends to be a person. The demo line is the fastest way to judge the experience yourself.

Is Samantha HIPAA compliant? Will you sign a BAA?

We sign a Business Associate Agreement before live patient traffic. PHI is processed only on HIPAA-eligible, BAA-covered infrastructure. Staff notifications contain no PHI, logs are redacted, retention is bounded, and startup checks reject unsafe configurations. A full walkthrough is on the HIPAA page.

Does Samantha give medical advice?

No. Samantha schedules and relays. She never gives medical advice, never interprets symptoms or test results, and never makes clinical or billing decisions. Anything clinical becomes a message for your staff.

How does Samantha verify who is calling?

Returning patients are recognized by verified caller ID, but appointment details are not shared or changed until they confirm full name and date of birth. New callers can register by phone.

Can she book, reschedule, and cancel appointments?

Yes. Samantha books only against real availability, reads the appointment back before committing, and never double-books. Booking caps and rate limits are enforced by code. If she is unsure, she says so and takes a message.

Does it work with our EMR or calendar?

Every practice gets Samantha Hub for scheduling, messages, and overnight briefings, so Samantha works from day one. Google Calendar sync is available, and direct EMR integrations are available on request. We will tell you exactly what is live before you sign.

Can she handle after-hours and weekend calls?

That is her main job. Forward your line when the office closes and she answers every call until you open. She also takes daytime overflow when the front desk is busy and can place outbound reminder, follow-up, and referral calls.

What happens when Samantha cannot handle a call?

She takes a message and flags it. The morning briefing marks every call that did not fully complete so a person follows up. She does not improvise around a situation she was not built for.

Will an AI receptionist replace our front desk staff?

No. Samantha covers the hours no one is at the desk and the calls the desk cannot reach. Your staff start the day with a sorted briefing instead of a voicemail queue, and everything clinical or unusual still goes to them.

How much does Samantha cost?

Pricing is quoted per practice on a short intro call; we do not publish a rate card yet. On that call we will walk through how it compares to what you pay today.

How is an AI receptionist different from a medical answering service?

A traditional answering service is a shared pool of live operators who take messages and page on-call. An AI receptionist answers instantly on a dedicated line, books appointments during the call, and delivers a recording and transcript rather than a typed summary. The full comparison is on its own page.

How long does setup take?

Samantha Hub works immediately, so a practice can be live as soon as the BAA is signed and the phone line is forwarded. Connecting Google Calendar adds a short setup step. We handle configuration on the intro call.

Can patients text the practice line?

Yes. Patients can text the practice line and get the same scheduling and message-taking, and staff are notified the same zero-PHI way.