An AI receptionist answers the call, transcribes and understands the caller's intent with a language model, then acts: it books or reschedules an appointment, answers a routine question, or routes the call to the right person. It works 24/7 and handles many calls at once, with no hold time.

It can be, but only if the vendor signs a Business Associate Agreement and runs on HIPAA-eligible infrastructure. Patient calls are protected health information, so a BAA is required. Rivvi includes a signed BAA on its free trial, e-signed during signup before any patient data moves.

Yes. A capable AI receptionist books and reschedules in real time by writing directly to the practice's schedule or CRM, rather than just taking a message for staff to action later. It confirms the time with the caller and can send a follow-up text.

Pricing varies by vendor and volume. Rivvi lets you start a free 7-day trial: it includes 5 seats, 10,000 conversation credits, a signed HIPAA BAA, and a branded number. A card starts the trial and you can cancel anytime before it ends. Paid plans add seats and a monthly conversation-credit allowance.