Trusted by over 400 health system customers, and thousands of hospitals and clinics, Parlance is a SaaS company delivering voice AI agents and automated phone routing solutions.
Phone routing software has become essential infrastructure for health systems struggling to manage overwhelming call volumes. The technology intelligently directs patients to the right person or department on the first try, dramatically reducing hold times and eliminating the frustration of complex phone trees. Speech-driven call routing enables patients to speak naturally instead of navigating “press 1 for this, press 2 for that” menus, connecting them directly to the resources they need.
The operational benefits are substantial. Modern call routing systems handle unpredictable volume surges without crashing. They reduce communication errors by quickly connecting people with urgent needs to live staff while appropriately routing routine calls to their required destination or resource. Skills-based routing and intelligent queues balance workload across teams, preventing staff burnout. The systems also maintain HIPAA-compliant communication pathways to extend coordination beyond hospital walls to connect across the external offices of providers and care settings within the health system brand.
Andy Draper, Regional CIO at HCA Healthcare, deployed Parlance across 10 hospitals in just six weeks. “Over 70% of our external calls are handled by Parlance technology. This allowed us to reduce FTEs by 50% and consolidate the department,” says Draper. The immediate offload rate was 52%, and Parlance’s subsequent call pattern analysis revealed operational inefficiencies in the directory infrastructure, leading to targeted improvements that eliminated friction points and improved caller navigation throughout the care delivery network.
Duane Donaway of Hendrick Health talks about the benefits of Parlance and automated call routing.
While call routing software handles intelligent call navigation, intelligent virtual assistants (IVAs) revolutionize patient self-service by actually performing tasks. Over 70% of consumers still rely on phone calls to communicate with providers, and 88% of appointments are still scheduled by phone. Despite billions invested in patient portals, the voice channel remains dominant — yet many health systems leave this critical touchpoint outdated and inefficient.
Parlance IVAs use conversational AI to enable patients to speak naturally and accomplish tasks like:
Getting secure SMS links for directions or appointment information
The technology engages 87-95% of callers effectively, autonomously handling common inquiries about parking, clinic hours, billing questions, and appointment-related information. When the IVA manages these routine tasks, skilled agents become available for patients who need complex support or empathy, dramatically improving both patient and staff experiences.
The ROI is immediate and measurable. One mid-sized health system saved $1.45 million annually and reduced labor by 18 weeks within the first month of deployment. Contact centers processing millions of calls see thousands of agent hours saved monthly through automated patient verification, appointment management, and FAQ handling.
First-call resolution rates, notoriously low at 20% in healthcare, improve significantly when patients self-serve for routine needs. Patients get faster answers without long hold times, agents work at the top of their skillsets on complex interactions, and health systems optimize resources. The technology operates 24/7, providing general support outside standard business hours and gathering valuable data on caller patterns to inform staffing decisions. For health systems facing persistent labor shortages, voice AI agents that actually perform tasks bridge the gap between staffing limitations and rising patient demand.
Parlance implementations follow a strategic phased approach that minimizes disruption and accelerates value realization. Phase 1 focuses on answering, sorting, and routing calls — typically going live within eight weeks after contract signature. This foundation delivers immediate operational improvements and labor savings.
Phase 2 introduces advanced IVA capabilities including patient verification and automated FAQs. This phase depends on EHR integrations and typically takes about three months, with work beginning in parallel with Phase 1 to expedite overall deployment. This methodical approach ensures health systems see quick wins while building toward comprehensive transformation of their voice channel.
Parlance brings 25+ years of expertise with thousands of implementations completed for health systems nationwide, from those with revenues under $1 billion to organizations exceeding $750 billion. The customer solutions team averages over 10 years of tenure and includes professionals with backgrounds in healthcare call center management, process improvement at major health systems, and solution architecture for leading EMR platforms.
Unlike vendors who deploy technology and walk away, Parlance operates as a fully managed service and true partnership. Engineers and developers implement product improvements directly from client input and create custom solutions for any need. The sales team identifies urgent problems at the digital front door, while customer solutions experts lead clients through every implementation step. With proven ROI (many clients see returns within 30-60 days) and unmatched expertise in conversational AI and proprietary name recognition technology, Parlance transforms phone communication into a strategic asset that improves patient access, optimizes operations, and saves money.
Parlance Corporation
400 West Cummings Park, Suite 2000
Woburn, MA 01801
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Phone: 888-700-6263
Support: [email protected]
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Phone: 888-700-6263
Support: [email protected]