NOTE: This post is adapted from Understanding the unmet support needs of patients, our survey of 500 patients with chronic illnesses, intended to better understand their struggles. You can read the full report here.

Receiving a diagnosis can bring with it relief, but also anxiety and plenty of questions. What does it mean for your job? Your family? What will the treatment be like? How will you afford it?  

As much as a patient tries to listen to their doctor in this moment, it’s only human for part of their mind to already be somewhere else. That can lead to unanswered questions, as we learned from our recent survey of 500 patients with five different chronic conditions: breast cancer, prostate cancer, heart disease, Crohn’s and colitis, and diabetes.

The survey respondents told us those nagging questions have a way of popping up late at night or during idle time on weekends, when access to trusted answers is limited, if nonexistent.

At this early stage in a patient’s journey, voice AI agents can make calls to, or be called by, patients, helping ensure they understand the resources available to them and offer to answer any questions a patient has – even at night and on weekends.

Such AI agents are as knowledgeable as trained and certified healthcare professionals, and can be configured to ensure they answer questions in a way that aligns with internal and regulatory compliance standards.

The patients we surveyed had a lot to say, about the ways the system has fallen short, and what they wish pharmaceutical companies knew about their experiences. To see more, and understand how leading companies are using AI to help, read our full report here.