When most people think about voice technology, they remember calling a customer service line and repeating “yes” or “no” several times before eventually shouting, “SPEAK TO A REPRESENTATIVE!”
Well, times are changing. Voice technology has improved rapidly over the last few years, and the experiences it can create for patients and healthcare professionals could transform the life sciences industry.
John Merryman and Erin Abler recently joined the PharmaVoice podcast to talk through key steps in building voice experiences with the potential to improve people’s lives.
Why voice is right for healthcare professionals
Today, physicians have to go to a lot of different online portals to get drug information. Voice technology creates the potential for a future where they simply ask questions out loud and get the information they need without looking it up.
People use voice technology in their homes to play a particular song because it’s easier than searching for it. Physicians don’t stop being people when they put on the white coat. Increasingly, they choose voice technology in their homes and cars, why wouldn’t they embrace similar experiences at work?
Why voice is right for patients
Any time we talk about the exchange of personal information, things get complicated. That’s not limited to new technologies.
On the podcast, John shares an anecdote from his local pharmacy. While picking up a prescription, he and everyone else at the pharmacy spent an extra ten minutes in line because a person in front of them didn’t want to share their age in a public setting.
Most people aren’t thrilled about exchanging personal information in any type of public setting. The question is, can we provide a better, more connected pathway to interaction? With voice technology, the answer is “yes.”
It’s about the people, not the technology
Improvements to technology make the discussion of new, unique voice experiences possible, but bringing them to life can only happen if those experiences are designed to solve real problems faced by real people.
The traditional healthcare model has one specific problem technology can solve: Patients live with a condition all of the time, but only see their doctor once in a while.
There are things that come up all the time in between appointments that a person might be hesitant to reach out to their care provider about - diet, condition management, symptoms. Addressing those gaps in care through voice technology can create a more comfortable experience and provide more opportunities for people to get information specific to their condition and experience.
For more information about voice, check out our Could voice technology help your patients infographic or our life sciences solutions page.
