AI Receptionist EMMA Transforms GP Appointment System for One Million Patients
At this moment, countless individuals across the UK are attempting to secure appointments with their local GP, often facing lengthy waits and frustrating phone queues. However, for patients like Joan Downing in Doncaster, the experience has been revolutionised by an artificial intelligence receptionist.
Introducing EMMA: The Virtual Medical Assistant
Since October, Joan and numerous other patients at Conisbrough Group Practice in Doncaster have been interacting with EMMA – an Enhanced Medical Management Assistant – rather than human receptionists. This sophisticated AI system, developed by start-up QuantumLoopAI, now manages calls for approximately one million GP patients nationwide.
The technology records patient details, prioritises medical requests, and directs callers to appropriate services. For Joan, who cares for her brother with complex health needs, this innovation has proven invaluable. "Sometimes I'd put the phone down as I was in the queue for so long," the 70-year-old explained. "But since they've rolled out Emma, it's been so much quicker. I once had a call back within 15 minutes."
Addressing the GP Access Crisis
Healthcare in Britain has increasingly become characterised by waiting – for ambulances, appointments, and procedures. Official NHS data reveals that only four in ten patients see their GP on the same day they book, while approximately one in ten wait up to twenty-eight days. The government's target states patients should receive appointments within two weeks, with urgent cases seen immediately.
The pressure on general practice has intensified significantly. Each full-time GP now oversees an average of 2,236 patients – 299 more than in September 2015. Meanwhile, 1,442 GP practices have closed since 2015, despite patient numbers increasing by 7.04 million.
How EMMA Functions in Practice
Imran Khan, CEO of QuantumLoopAI, emphasised that EMMA represents more than basic automation. "She's the first intelligent call-handling system built over two years with input from real reception teams and clinicians," he stated.
At Joan's practice, business manager Bex Cottey explained they turned to EMMA following a receptionist's departure and recruitment difficulties. "We were concerned about creating a frustrating system like calling your bank," Cottey recalled. "But the demo seemed sophisticated and natural, and we had no other satisfactory solutions."
The practice implemented EMMA gradually, initially using it for about one hour weekly while medical supervisors monitored interactions. Staff members who previously spent entire days answering phones now have time for advanced training and enhanced patient care.
Mixed Reactions to Healthcare AI
While many patients and staff report positive experiences, concerns persist about AI's expanding role in healthcare. Dr Becks Fisher, research and policy director at Nuffield Health, warned that GPs face a "wild west" of unregulated AI tools that could exacerbate health inequalities.
Campaigner Cat Hobbs of We Own It expressed stronger reservations: "Robot EMMA is the wrong answer to an artificially created problem. The dystopian endpoint is that you turn up sick at your GP surgery and there's no human there to help you."
Nevertheless, for patients like Joan Downing, who initially approached technology with trepidation, the benefits are clear. "As a senior, technology can be scary," she admitted. "I'm not used to robots. But after my experience with EMMA, if this is the future, then it's all going to be exceptional."
As GP practices nationwide grapple with rising demand and staffing challenges, AI solutions like EMMA are likely to become increasingly prevalent in Britain's healthcare landscape.
