EMMA Virtual Receptionist – First Week Review

Priory Medical Centre introduced QuantumLoopAI’s EMMA Virtual Receptionist on 03 August 2026 to help ease pressure on our phone lines and make it quicker and easier for patients to request appointments and access care. EMMA was initially launched in a phased approach so both staff and patients could become familiar with the new system. Early feedback from both groups was very positive.

EMMA has now been fully live throughout the day since 10 August 2026, and we are pleased to share the results from her first full week of operation (10–16 August 2026).

📊 Key Performance Highlights

• 1,239 calls handled by EMMA during the first full week.
• Average call answer time: 9 seconds, compared with our previous average of 3 minutes 11 seconds.
• Approximately 26 hours of Reception Team time saved, allowing staff to support patients who come through to us more quickly and for longer.
• 744 patient requests submitted via EMMA:
  • 700 through EMMA Voice
  • 44 through EMMA SMS Chat
• Of these submissions:
  • 207 Medical Requests
  • 537 Administrative Requests

Breakdown of Administrative Requests:

• 10 Doctor Letter requests
• 12 Sick Note requests
• 57 Repeat Prescription requests
• 20 Referral Follow‑Up requests
• 15 Test Result requests
• 228 Routine Care requests
• 195 Other requests

💡 Helpful Reminders for Patients

• Repeat Prescriptions: The quickest and most efficient way to request a repeat prescription is via the NHS App, where requests go directly to a GP for approval.
• Test Results: Most test results are now available on the NHS App. Any abnormal or unexpected results will be discussed with you before being published.

🗣️ Patient Feedback

We are pleased to report that feedback so far has been largely positive. Patients have told us:

• “It’s a 10/10 from me for your new AI generated Answer/Response service.”
• “We found Emma’s speech very easy to understand, and the almost instant response to the initial call a very welcome improvement.”
• “Even Emma AI was very polite and easy to use.”

As with any new system, we have also received some less positive feedback, including comments such as:

• “AI Receptionist is absolutely horrific… it still cannot possibly transfer a call to the admin team.”
• “Sorry to say that the new AI is really annoying… it can be confusing.”

We appreciate all feedback and are actively reviewing calls to understand where improvements can be made.

🔍 Understanding Common Issues

A recurring theme in calls where difficulties occur is limited patient engagement. Some callers provide very short answers, refuse to engage, or become frustrated early in the process. This leads EMMA to ask additional questions to gather the information needed.

EMMA is not a scripted robot—she is an adaptive AI system that learns from patient interactions. The more information you provide, the quicker she can submit your request. As noted in the document:

• “EMMA is not speaking from a predefined script which only has a few options available to her.”

Once EMMA gathers your information, she submits it as an Online Consultation for our Reception and Clinical Team to review. These submissions are often more detailed than traditional telephone notes, helping us triage medical requests more efficiently.

📞 What EMMA Can and Cannot Do

EMMA is a call‑handling service. She can:

• Ask questions
• Gather information
• Submit requests to the practice

She cannot:

• Triage clinical requests
• Book appointments
• Diagnose medical conditions
• Provide medical advice

She operates strictly within the agreed boundaries set by the practice.

💬 We Welcome Your Feedback

We are committed to continually improving EMMA and ensuring she supports patients effectively. If you have feedback—positive or negative—please contact us at admin@priorymed.nhs.uk and we will assist you.