BestAIMedicalReceptionistin2026—Ranked&Reviewed

Medical practices lose an estimated $150,000 per year in missed calls and scheduling friction. A human receptionist can only handle one call at a time, leaves gaps during lunch and after hours, and costs $35,000-$50,000 annually in salary alone. In 2026, AI medical receptionists answer every call 24/7, book appointments in real time, triage patient needs, and integrate directly with your EHR -- all while maintaining full HIPAA compliance.

We evaluated the eight best AI medical receptionists across six weighted criteria: HIPAA compliance, call handling intelligence, scheduling and EHR integration, voice quality, pricing, and feature breadth. Our goal was to give practice owners a clear, evidence-based ranking to guide their purchasing decisions -- whether you run a solo practice or a multi-location group.

Quick Comparison Table

How We Ranked These Tools

We evaluated each AI medical receptionist across six weighted criteria that matter most to medical practices. Every tool was tested against the same standards -- from solo practices needing basic call answering to enterprise health systems handling thousands of daily calls.

HIPAA Compliance (30%)

The most heavily weighted criterion. We assessed BAA availability, call recording encryption, PHI handling policies, and whether patient data is used for model training. Any platform that could not produce a signed BAA or lacked end-to-end encryption for voice data was penalized heavily. In healthcare, compliance is not optional -- it is the baseline.

Call Handling Intelligence (25%)

We evaluated natural language understanding, multi-turn conversation quality, triage accuracy, warm transfer capability, and emergency detection. The best AI receptionists do not just take messages -- they understand context, ask clarifying questions, and execute actions during the call. Platforms that merely route callers through a menu tree scored poorly compared to those that hold genuine conversations.

Scheduling & EHR Integration (20%)

Real-time appointment booking, EHR connectivity with systems like Epic, eClinicalWorks, DrChrono, Athena, and Veradigm, and bidirectional data sync were all assessed. We differentiated between platforms that simply push data into an EHR and those that pull patient context to inform the conversation. If you already use an AI medical scribe, having your receptionist feed directly into the same EHR workflow eliminates redundant data entry.

Voice Quality & Latency (10%)

Text-to-speech naturalness, response latency, accent handling, background noise tolerance, and conversational flow all affect the patient experience. We tested each platform with simulated calls to measure how natural the AI voice sounded and whether response delays disrupted the conversation. Patients who feel they are talking to a robotic system are more likely to hang up and call back during business hours, defeating the purpose of AI coverage.

Pricing & Value (10%)

We considered cost per provider or per minute, what is included versus add-on, and total cost of ownership versus hiring a human receptionist. Hidden costs -- implementation fees, per-integration charges, and minimum seat requirements -- were factored in as negatives. A platform that costs $129/month but replaces a $200/month answering service plus a $99/month scribe delivers more value than a $50/month tool that only takes messages.

Feature Breadth (5%)

Beyond core call handling, we assessed outbound call campaigns, SMS and payment link capabilities, AI call summaries, knowledge base injection, and multi-channel support beyond voice. These features separate a basic call-answering tool from a comprehensive front desk automation platform.

1. DeepCura -- Full-Stack Clinical AI Platform

Editor's Choice

DeepCura's AI receptionist is built for medical practices that want more than just call answering. Powered by DeepCura's Voice Agent platform, it handles both inbound and outbound calls with 15 callable AI functions that execute during live conversations -- from booking appointments and verifying patient identity to sending SMS payment links and searching the practice's knowledge base in real time.

What sets DeepCura apart is that the AI receptionist is part of a full-stack clinical AI platform. The same $129/month subscription includes ambient AI scribing, clinical note generation, ICD-10/CPT coding, EHR integration with Epic, eClinicalWorks, DrChrono, Athena, and Veradigm, AI fax summarization, and clinical AI chat. Most practices currently pay over $200 per month just for a human answering service that can only take messages -- DeepCura's AI receptionist actually takes action on every call.

The platform offers 12 pre-built call template categories -- reception, scheduling, triage, FAQ, prescription refill, referral, insurance verification, medical records, after hours, new patient intake, call routing, and custom -- so practices can configure the AI's behavior for different call types without writing any code. Warm call transfers include a contextual introduction to the receiving staff member, and every call generates an AI summary with email notification.

Key Features:

• ✓15 callable AI functions during live calls
• ✓Inbound and outbound call support
• ✓12 pre-built call template categories
• ✓Warm call transfer with contextual introduction
• ✓SMS payment links mid-call via Stripe
• ✓AI call summaries with email notifications
• ✓Knowledge base injection per practice
• ✓Patient identity verification (DOB, phone)
• ✓5+ EHR integrations (Epic, eCW, DrChrono, Athena, Veradigm)
• ✓AI scribe, clinical notes, and billing included
• ✓HIPAA compliant with signed BAA

Pricing: $129/month per provider -- all features included.

Pros:

• ✓Only platform that bundles AI receptionist with AI scribe, billing, and EHR
• ✓15 live-call functions versus competitors that only take messages
• ✓Replaces $200+/month answering service plus $99/month scribe plus $25/month fax
• ✓Both inbound and outbound call capability
• ✓Credit-based pricing (1 credit per call) keeps costs predictable

Cons:

• ✓Newer platform with a smaller user community than legacy tools
• ✓No on-premise deployment option (cloud-only)
• ✓Outbound campaigns require manual template setup

Verdict: DeepCura is the best AI medical receptionist for practices that want a single platform covering the entire clinical workflow. At $129/month, you get an AI receptionist with 15 live-call functions, ambient scribing, clinical notes, EHR integration, and billing -- replacing three to five separate tools at a lower total cost. No other solution on this list matches the combination of call handling depth and clinical AI breadth.

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2. Simbie AI -- AI Phone Agent for High Call Volume

Simbie AI is purpose-built for medical practices drowning in phone calls. Its AI phone agents handle appointment scheduling, patient intake, insurance verification, and prescription refill requests with natural-sounding voice conversations. The usage-based pricing model means practices only pay for the calls the AI actually handles, making it cost-effective for high-volume clinics that would otherwise need multiple receptionists.

Simbie focuses narrowly on phone automation and does it well. The AI can handle multiple simultaneous calls, reducing wait times to near zero. However, it does not include clinical AI features like ambient scribing, note generation, or billing support. Practices using Simbie will still need separate tools for clinical documentation and EHR integration -- making the total cost of the stack higher than it appears at first glance.

Key Features:

• ✓Natural AI phone conversations
• ✓Handles multiple simultaneous calls
• ✓Appointment scheduling automation
• ✓Patient intake and insurance verification
• ✓Usage-based pricing (pay per call)
• ✓HIPAA compliant

Pricing: Usage-based -- pay per call handled.

Pros:

• ✓Handles unlimited simultaneous calls
• ✓Usage-based pricing ideal for variable call volumes
• ✓Strong natural language understanding for medical contexts
• ✓Fast setup with minimal IT overhead

Cons:

• ✓Phone-only -- no clinical AI, scribing, or documentation
• ✓Costs can escalate with high call volumes
• ✓Limited EHR integration compared to full-stack platforms
• ✓No outbound call campaigns

Verdict: Simbie AI is a strong choice for high-volume practices that need AI phone answering and nothing else. The usage-based model keeps costs flexible, but practices that also need clinical AI will end up paying more for the full stack than a bundled platform.

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3. Sully.ai -- AI Staff Team

Sully.ai takes the concept of an AI receptionist and expands it into a full AI staff team. Beyond phone answering, Sully provides AI agents for front desk operations, patient intake, insurance verification, prior authorization, and clinical documentation. The platform positions itself as a suite of AI employees that each handle a specific administrative function in the practice.

The multi-agent approach is ambitious and appealing for practices that want to automate beyond just phone calls. However, the platform is relatively new and the breadth of capabilities means some features are less mature than focused competitors. EHR integration exists but varies in depth across different systems. At $99+ per provider, the base price is competitive, but advanced features may require higher tiers.

Key Features:

• ✓Multi-agent AI staff (front desk, intake, authorization)
• ✓AI phone answering and scheduling
• ✓Prior authorization automation
• ✓Clinical documentation support
• ✓HIPAA compliant

Pricing: $99+/month per provider.

Pros:

• ✓Most comprehensive AI staff concept on the market
• ✓Automates beyond phone -- intake, authorization, documentation
• ✓Competitive base pricing at $99/provider
• ✓Growing feature set with rapid development

Cons:

• ✓Breadth over depth -- some features less polished
• ✓EHR integrations not as deep as DeepCura or Luma
• ✓Pricing tiers can add up for full feature access
• ✓Newer company with smaller track record

Verdict: Sully.ai is the most ambitious AI staff platform, automating front desk, intake, prior authorization, and documentation. It is a good fit for practices that want multiple AI agents working together. For practices that prioritize deep call handling with live-call actions and EHR integration, DeepCura's 15-function receptionist is more battle-tested.

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4. Hyro -- Enterprise Health System Conversational AI

Hyro is the enterprise-grade conversational AI platform for large health systems. Deployed across organizations like Intermountain Health and Novant Health, Hyro handles millions of patient interactions across phone, web chat, and SMS channels. Its AI assistants manage appointment scheduling, prescription refills, provider search, and FAQ resolution at scale, with deep integration into enterprise EHR systems via HL7 and FHIR APIs.

The platform's strength is handling massive call volumes across multiple departments, locations, and specialties within a single health system. However, the enterprise focus means pricing starts at roughly $10,000+ per month, with implementation timelines measured in weeks to months. Independent practices and small groups are priced out entirely, and the IT infrastructure requirements make self-service deployment impossible.

Key Features:

• ✓Enterprise-scale conversational AI
• ✓Multi-channel support (phone, web chat, SMS)
• ✓Deep EHR integration via HL7/FHIR
• ✓Proven at health system scale (millions of interactions)
• ✓HIPAA compliant with BAA

Pricing: ~$10,000+/month -- enterprise contracts with custom negotiation.

Pros:

• ✓Proven at enterprise scale with major health systems
• ✓Multi-channel support (phone, chat, SMS)
• ✓Deep HL7/FHIR EHR integration
• ✓Handles millions of interactions per year

Cons:

• ✓Completely inaccessible to independent practices
• ✓Enterprise-only pricing ($10K+/month)
• ✓Long deployment timelines (weeks to months)
• ✓No clinical AI features (scribing, notes, billing)

Verdict: Hyro is the gold standard for enterprise health system conversational AI, but it is not accessible to the vast majority of medical practices. If you are a health system with thousands of providers, Hyro delivers. For everyone else, more affordable platforms provide comparable AI receptionist capabilities with setup in minutes, not months.

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5. Luma Health (ARIA) -- Best Epic Integration

Luma Health's ARIA platform brings AI-powered patient engagement with the deepest Epic integration in the AI receptionist category. ARIA handles inbound calls, appointment scheduling, patient intake, waitlist management, and referral coordination -- all connected to Epic's scheduling and patient record systems. For organizations already invested in Epic, the seamless data flow eliminates manual reconciliation.

The limitation is the narrow EHR focus. While ARIA excels with Epic, its integration with other EHR systems is less robust. Pricing is custom and typically oriented toward mid-to-large organizations rather than solo practitioners. Practices running eClinicalWorks, DrChrono, Athena, or Veradigm will find better EHR connectivity with platforms that support multiple systems natively.

Key Features:

• ✓Deepest Epic EHR integration in the category
• ✓AI-powered appointment scheduling
• ✓Waitlist management and backfill optimization
• ✓Patient intake automation
• ✓HIPAA compliant with BAA

Pricing: Custom -- contact sales for quotes.

Pros:

• ✓Best-in-class Epic integration for AI receptionist
• ✓Strong waitlist and scheduling optimization
• ✓Proven with healthcare organizations
• ✓Comprehensive HIPAA compliance with BAA

Cons:

• ✓Integration depth drops significantly outside Epic
• ✓Custom pricing oriented toward larger organizations
• ✓No clinical documentation or AI scribe features
• ✓Limited phone call AI compared to voice-first platforms

Verdict: Luma Health ARIA is the best choice for Epic-centric organizations that need AI-powered patient engagement and scheduling. For practices on other EHR systems or those who also need clinical AI features, platforms with broader EHR support and full clinical toolsets offer more value.

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6. Retell AI -- Best Pay-As-You-Go Voice AI

Retell AI is a developer-friendly voice AI platform that lets practices build custom AI phone agents. With per-minute pricing starting at $0.07, it is the most cost-effective option for practices with low call volumes or those that want granular control over their AI receptionist's behavior. The platform provides APIs for building conversational agents, function calling during calls, and integration with external systems.

The trade-off is that Retell is a developer platform, not a turnkey solution. Practices need technical resources to build, deploy, and maintain their AI receptionist. There are no pre-built medical workflows, no EHR integration out of the box, and no clinical AI features. HIPAA compliance is achievable but requires the practice to implement it correctly in their custom build. For tech-savvy practices or those with development resources, Retell offers maximum flexibility at the lowest per-call cost.

Key Features:

• ✓Lowest per-minute pricing ($0.07-0.12/min)
• ✓Full API for custom agent development
• ✓Function calling during live calls
• ✓Multiple LLM and TTS model options
• ✓Scalable infrastructure

Pricing: $0.07-0.12 per minute -- true pay-as-you-go with no monthly minimums.

Pros:

• ✓Most affordable per-call pricing on the market
• ✓Maximum customization and flexibility
• ✓Strong developer documentation and API
• ✓No monthly minimums -- true pay-as-you-go

Cons:

• ✓Not a turnkey solution -- requires developers to build
• ✓No pre-built medical or scheduling workflows
• ✓HIPAA compliance is the practice's responsibility
• ✓No clinical AI features (scribing, notes, EHR)

Verdict: Retell AI is the best option for technically capable practices that want to build a custom AI receptionist at the lowest per-call cost. For practices that want a ready-to-use solution with medical workflows, EHR integration, and HIPAA compliance built in, turnkey platforms deliver all of that out of the box.

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7. Emitrr -- Best for Independent Practices

Emitrr is a patient communication platform built specifically for independent medical and dental practices. It combines AI phone answering with text messaging, online reviews management, appointment reminders, and a unified inbox. The AI receptionist handles basic call answering, message taking, and appointment scheduling, while the broader platform addresses the full patient communication lifecycle.

Emitrr's strength is its focus on independent practice needs -- simple setup, transparent pricing tiers, and features that address common pain points like missed calls, no-shows, and online reputation. However, the AI receptionist capabilities are less sophisticated than voice-first platforms. The AI handles straightforward scheduling and FAQ responses well but struggles with complex multi-turn conversations, patient verification, or live-call actions like payment processing.

Key Features:

• ✓AI phone answering for independent practices
• ✓Unified inbox (calls, texts, reviews)
• ✓Appointment reminders and no-show reduction
• ✓Online reviews management
• ✓HIPAA compliant

Pricing: $100-1,000+/month depending on call volume and features.

Pros:

• ✓Built specifically for independent practice needs
• ✓Multi-channel communication (calls, texts, reviews)
• ✓Reduces no-shows with automated reminders
• ✓Simple setup and transparent pricing

Cons:

• ✓AI conversation depth limited versus voice-first platforms
• ✓No in-call actions like payments or identity verification
• ✓No clinical AI, scribing, or documentation features
• ✓Pricing can scale up quickly with add-on features

Verdict: Emitrr is a solid choice for independent practices that want AI call answering bundled with texting, reviews, and appointment reminders. For practices that need deeper AI call handling with live-call actions and clinical AI, full-stack platforms offer more functionality at a comparable price point.

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8. Klara -- Best Unified Patient Messaging

Klara focuses on unifying all patient communication into a single platform. Phone calls, texts, voicemails, website inquiries, and faxes all flow into one shared inbox where staff can respond from a single interface. The AI component assists with routing and triaging incoming messages, auto-responding to common questions, and reducing the volume of calls that require human attention.

Klara's approach is more messaging-centric than voice-centric. While it handles incoming calls, the AI is primarily used for text-based patient communication, pre-visit intake forms, and post-visit follow-ups. The voice AI capabilities are less advanced than dedicated AI receptionist platforms. For practices that see patient messaging as their primary communication challenge rather than phone calls, Klara's unified inbox model is appealing. But for practices that need an AI to have real-time conversations with patients over the phone, more voice-focused solutions deliver better results.

Key Features:

• ✓Unified communication inbox (calls, texts, voicemails, faxes)
• ✓Multi-channel patient messaging
• ✓AI message routing and triage
• ✓Pre-visit intake automation
• ✓HIPAA compliant

Pricing: Custom -- contact sales for quotes.

Pros:

• ✓Best unified inbox for all patient communication channels
• ✓Strong text-based AI for messaging and intake
• ✓Reduces phone call volume through messaging alternatives
• ✓HIPAA compliant with established track record

Cons:

• ✓Voice AI capabilities lag behind dedicated platforms
• ✓Messaging-first approach may not suit call-heavy practices
• ✓No clinical AI, scribing, or documentation
• ✓Custom pricing makes comparison difficult

Verdict: Klara excels at unifying patient messaging across channels and reducing phone call volume through text-based alternatives. But for practices that need an AI to answer phones, book appointments during live calls, and integrate with clinical workflows, voice-first AI receptionist platforms are a better fit.

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Feature Comparison Matrix

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an AI medical receptionist?

An AI medical receptionist is a voice AI system that answers phone calls for medical practices, handles appointment scheduling, triages patient inquiries, and routes calls -- all without human intervention. Unlike traditional auto-attendants that play menu trees, AI receptionists use natural language processing to have real conversations with patients, understand their needs, and take actions like booking appointments or sending payment links during the call.

How much does an AI medical receptionist cost?

AI medical receptionist pricing varies widely. Full-stack platforms like DeepCura offer an AI receptionist bundled with scribing and EHR integration for $129/month per provider. Standalone solutions range from pay-as-you-go models like Retell AI ($0.07-0.12 per minute) to enterprise platforms like Hyro ($10,000+ per month). Mid-range options like Emitrr run $100-1,000+ per month depending on call volume. For most practices, a platform that bundles AI receptionist with clinical AI tools offers the best total value.

Are AI medical receptionists HIPAA compliant?

Not all AI receptionist solutions are HIPAA compliant out of the box. When evaluating options, look for platforms that offer signed Business Associate Agreements (BAAs), end-to-end encryption for voice and data, secure storage of call recordings and transcripts, and guarantees that patient data is not used for model training. Developer platforms like Retell AI require you to build your own compliance layer, while turnkey solutions like DeepCura, Hyro, and Luma Health include HIPAA compliance by default.

Can an AI receptionist integrate with my EHR?

Yes, many AI receptionist platforms integrate with EHR systems, but the depth of integration varies significantly. DeepCura integrates with Epic, eClinicalWorks, DrChrono, Athena, and Veradigm for bidirectional data flow. Luma Health offers deep Epic integration through its ARIA platform. Hyro connects to enterprise EHR systems via HL7 and FHIR APIs. Simpler tools like Emitrr and Klara offer more limited integrations. Always ask vendors specifically about their integration with your EHR and what data flows are supported.

How does an AI receptionist handle emergency calls?

A well-designed AI receptionist uses triage protocols to identify emergency situations and route them appropriately. Leading platforms include built-in emergency detection that recognizes urgent keywords and symptoms, immediately transfers the call to a live staff member or instructs the patient to call 911, and logs the interaction for follow-up. Most AI receptionist platforms support configurable escalation rules so practices can define what constitutes an emergency and how it should be handled.

Will patients know they are talking to AI?

Modern AI voice agents sound remarkably natural thanks to advances in text-to-speech technology. However, best practice -- and in some jurisdictions, legal requirements -- dictate that AI systems disclose their nature to callers. Most platforms include a brief disclosure at the start of the call. Patient satisfaction studies show that most patients are comfortable with AI handling routine tasks like scheduling as long as they can reach a human when needed.

Can an AI receptionist handle appointment scheduling?

Yes, appointment scheduling is the core function of most AI medical receptionists. The best platforms can check provider availability, find the next open slot based on patient preferences, book appointments with date, time, reason, and provider, send confirmations, handle rescheduling and cancellations, and deliver reminders via outbound calls. The key differentiator between platforms is whether scheduling syncs with your EHR or practice management system in real time or requires manual reconciliation.

Final Thoughts

The AI medical receptionist market in 2026 offers real operational value for practices of every size. The days of patients sitting on hold or leaving voicemails that never get returned are ending -- today's platforms answer every call, schedule appointments in real time, and integrate directly with clinical workflows.

Our recommendation for most practices is to choose the platform that best matches your operational complexity. If you need a full-stack solution that handles call answering, scheduling, scribing, and billing in a single product, DeepCura delivers the best overall value at $129/month. If you are in a large Epic-based health system, Luma Health ARIA integrates most deeply with your existing infrastructure. If you just need affordable, developer-controlled voice AI, Retell AI gives you maximum flexibility at the lowest per-minute cost.

If you are also evaluating clinical documentation tools, see our ranking of the Best AI Medical Scribes in 2026, or read our in-depth reviews of Freed AI and Heidi Health -- several platforms on this list overlap with the scribe category. And for clinicians exploring AI-assisted clinical reasoning, our guide to the Best ChatGPT for Doctors covers the leading options.

Whatever you choose, the important step is choosing. Every missed call is a missed appointment, and every missed appointment is lost revenue and a patient who may not come back. The tools exist to solve this problem -- the only question is which one fits your practice best.