Smarter Week

AI and automation by role · frontline

How Medical assistants / front desk staff can use AI and automation

Below are 12 common tasks for Medical assistants / front desk staff, most common first. For each one you get the best fix (AI, automation, a feature in software you already have, or a simpler process), the steps to set it up and, for AI fixes, a prompt to copy.

Also called: Medical Assistant, MA, Front Desk, Patient Coordinator, Medical Receptionist, Patient Access Representative, Scheduler

Find your own hour leaks, free See the fixes

Task 1 · typically 120 min, every day

Answer phones for appointments, refills and questions

Software featureBest fix

Let a healthcare AI phone agent handle routine calls

Healthcare voice agents (with a BAA) answer, book and reschedule appointments, take refill requests and answer simple questions, and pass clinical or upset callers to staff.

Typically saves about 40% of the time4 h to set up
  1. 1Pull a week of call reasons from your phone system.
  2. 2Pick the routine ones (scheduling, directions, refill requests, billing balance).
  3. 3Trial an AI phone agent built for healthcare with a BAA (for example Hyro, Assort Health, Notable or Hello Patient).
  4. 4Connect it to your scheduling system and set clear handoff rules.
  5. 5Listen to a sample of calls weekly.

Tools: Hyro · Assort Health · Notable · Hello Patient

One more way to fix it
Software feature

Let patients book online and fill cancellations from a waitlist

Online self-scheduling and automatic waitlist offers (like Epic MyChart Fast Pass) fill cancelled slots without phone calls.

Typically saves about 40% of the time2 h to set up
  1. 1Turn on online booking for the simplest visit types first (MyChart, NexHealth, Zocdoc, Phreesia or your PM system).
  2. 2Set clear rules on who can book what.
  3. 3Turn on automatic waitlist offers for cancellations.
  4. 4Put the booking link in reminders, the website and your voicemail.

Tools: Epic MyChart · NexHealth · Zocdoc · Phreesia

How to automate this task

Task 2 · typically 60 min, every day

Book, move and fill cancelled appointments

Software featureBest fix

Let patients book online and fill cancellations from a waitlist

Online self-scheduling and automatic waitlist offers (like Epic MyChart Fast Pass) fill cancelled slots without phone calls.

Typically saves about 40% of the time2 h to set up
  1. 1Turn on online booking for the simplest visit types first (MyChart, NexHealth, Zocdoc, Phreesia or your PM system).
  2. 2Set clear rules on who can book what.
  3. 3Turn on automatic waitlist offers for cancellations.
  4. 4Put the booking link in reminders, the website and your voicemail.

Tools: Epic MyChart · NexHealth · Zocdoc · Phreesia

One more way to fix it
Automation

Send appointment reminders and recalls automatically by text

Automatic two-way text reminders let patients confirm, cancel or reschedule by reply, and recall messages go out to patients due for follow-up. Calls only go to those who do not reply.

Typically saves about 75% of the time2 h to set up
  1. 1Turn on automated reminders in your EHR or patient messaging tool (MyChart, Luma, Weave, NexHealth, Artera).
  2. 2Set timing (for example 3 days and 1 day before).
  3. 3Allow replies to confirm or reschedule.
  4. 4Set up recall lists (annual visits, follow-ups) to send automatically.

Tools: Luma Health · Weave · NexHealth · Artera · Epic MyChart

How to automate this task

Task 3 · typically 60 min, every day

Collect intake forms, insurance cards and ID at check-in

Software featureBest fix

Send digital intake forms before the visit

Patients fill in forms, upload insurance cards and ID, and sign consents on their phone before they arrive. It flows straight into the chart, so no one types from clipboards.

Typically saves about 50% of the time3 h to set up
  1. 1Check whether your EHR or PM system has digital check-in (MyChart eCheck-In, Phreesia, Clearwave, Luma, Tebra).
  2. 2Move your paper forms into it.
  3. 3Send the link automatically with the appointment reminder.
  4. 4Keep a tablet at the desk for patients who did not complete it.

Tools: Epic MyChart eCheck-In · Phreesia · Clearwave · Luma Health

How to automate this task

Task 4 · typically 45 min, every day

Check insurance eligibility and benefits

AutomationBest fix

Run insurance eligibility checks automatically before each visit

Batch eligibility checks run the night before and flag only the patients with a problem, instead of checking every patient by hand on payer websites.

Typically saves about 65% of the time2 h to set up
  1. 1Ask your billing team or clearinghouse to turn on batch real-time eligibility (Waystar, Availity, Experian Health or your PM system).
  2. 2Schedule it 1 to 3 days before appointments.
  3. 3Work only the flagged list each morning.
  4. 4Call patients about coverage problems before they arrive.

Tools: Waystar · Availity · Experian Health · Your PM system

How to automate this task

Task 5 · typically 60 min, every day

Room patients and type in vitals and history

Software featureBest fix

Use vitals machines that send readings straight to the EHR

Connected vitals monitors send blood pressure, pulse, temperature and weight straight into the chart after you scan the patient's wristband or select them. No writing down and retyping.

Typically saves about 30% of the time1 h to set up
  1. 1Ask biomed or IT whether your vitals machines can connect to the EHR.
  2. 2Ask for connected scales and monitors in rooming areas.
  3. 3Scan or select the patient before measuring.
  4. 4Confirm the values in the chart.

Tools: Connected vitals monitors (e.g. Baxter Welch Allyn Connex) · Your EHR (Epic, Oracle Health, athenahealth, eClinicalWorks, NextGen or similar)

One more way to fix it
Software feature

Send digital intake forms before the visit

Patients fill in forms, upload insurance cards and ID, and sign consents on their phone before they arrive. It flows straight into the chart, so no one types from clipboards.

Typically saves about 50% of the time3 h to set up
  1. 1Check whether your EHR or PM system has digital check-in (MyChart eCheck-In, Phreesia, Clearwave, Luma, Tebra).
  2. 2Move your paper forms into it.
  3. 3Send the link automatically with the appointment reminder.
  4. 4Keep a tablet at the desk for patients who did not complete it.

Tools: Epic MyChart eCheck-In · Phreesia · Clearwave · Luma Health

How to automate this task

Task 6 · typically 45 min, every day

Do prior authorizations

Software featureBest fix

Submit prior authorizations electronically from the EHR

Electronic prior authorization pulls the patient and clinical details from the chart, shows the payer's questions, and often returns an answer in minutes. New federal payer rules are making this more common through 2026 and 2027.

Typically saves about 40% of the time1 h to set up
  1. 1Ask which ePA tools are connected to your EHR (CoverMyMeds or Surescripts for drugs; Availity, Cohere or your EHR's payer platform for services).
  2. 2Start the request from the order in the EHR instead of a fax form.
  3. 3Save templates for your most common requests.
  4. 4Track pending requests in one work queue instead of a spreadsheet.
  5. 5Only use tools your organization has approved and covered by a HIPAA business associate agreement (BAA) for anything with patient information.

Tools: CoverMyMeds · Surescripts · Availity · Cohere Health · Epic Payer Platform

One more way to fix it
AI

Have approved AI draft the appeal or letter of medical necessity

AI drafts a clear, well-structured appeal from the denial reason, the policy and the clinical facts. You check every fact and sign. Use only your organization's BAA-covered AI for anything with patient details.

Typically saves about 45% of the time10 min to set up
  1. 1Gather the denial letter, the payer policy and the key clinical facts.
  2. 2Use only your organization's approved, BAA-covered AI tool. If you do not have one, remove all patient identifiers first.
  3. 3Use the prompt below.
  4. 4Check every clinical fact and code before sending.
Prompt to copy
Draft an appeal letter for a denied [SERVICE / MEDICATION]. Denial reason: [PASTE REASON]. Payer policy criteria: [PASTE POLICY TEXT]. Clinical facts: [DIAGNOSIS, HISTORY, TREATMENTS TRIED AND RESULTS, WHY THIS IS NEEDED NOW]. Address each policy criterion one by one with the matching fact. Keep it under one page, professional and factual. Mark any criterion without supporting facts as [MISSING]. Do not invent clinical details.

Tools: Your organization's approved, BAA-covered AI assistant

How to automate this task

Task 7 · typically 30 min, every day

Handle medication refill requests

Process fixBest fix

Set up standing refill protocols the team can follow

Written protocols let nurses or MAs approve routine refills for stable patients, and the EHR can queue them with the needed checks. Clinicians only see the exceptions.

Typically saves about 40% of the time3 h to set up
  1. 1List your most common refill medicines.
  2. 2Write criteria for each (last visit, labs, dose unchanged).
  3. 3Get them approved by the medical director.
  4. 4Ask IT to build refill protocol support in the EHR so the checks show automatically.

Tools: Your EHR (Epic, Oracle Health, athenahealth, eClinicalWorks, NextGen or similar)

One more way to fix it
Software feature

Turn on the EHR's AI-drafted replies for patient messages

Epic and other EHRs now offer AI-drafted replies to patient portal messages and summaries of long threads. You edit and send instead of writing each reply.

Typically saves about 20% of the time15 min to set up
  1. 1Ask your clinical informatics team whether AI message drafts are switched on for your department.
  2. 2Use the draft as a starting point; edit for accuracy and tone.
  3. 3Never send a draft without reading it in full.
  4. 4Give feedback in the tool when drafts are wrong.
  5. 5Only use tools your organization has approved and covered by a HIPAA business associate agreement (BAA) for anything with patient information.

Tools: Epic Art (In Basket AI message drafts) · Oracle Health Clinical AI Agent · athenahealth AI features · Microsoft Dragon Copilot

How to automate this task

Task 8 · typically 45 min, every day

Sort, index and file incoming faxes and records

Software featureBest fix

Let AI sort faxes and referrals into the right chart and queue

Intelligent document tools read incoming faxes and referrals, match them to the patient, label the document type and route it. Staff check the uncertain ones instead of sorting every page.

Typically saves about 50% of the time4 h to set up
  1. 1Count how many faxes and referrals you handle a day.
  2. 2Ask IT about AI document processing that works with your EHR (for example Tennr, Concord, Medsender or Notable).
  3. 3Start with one document type, such as referrals or outside records.
  4. 4Review the low-confidence items daily.
  5. 5Only use tools your organization has approved and covered by a HIPAA business associate agreement (BAA) for anything with patient information.

Tools: Tennr · Concord · Medsender · Notable

How to automate this task

Task 9 · typically 45 min, every day

Call patients with reminders and recalls

AutomationBest fix

Send appointment reminders and recalls automatically by text

Automatic two-way text reminders let patients confirm, cancel or reschedule by reply, and recall messages go out to patients due for follow-up. Calls only go to those who do not reply.

Typically saves about 75% of the time2 h to set up
  1. 1Turn on automated reminders in your EHR or patient messaging tool (MyChart, Luma, Weave, NexHealth, Artera).
  2. 2Set timing (for example 3 days and 1 day before).
  3. 3Allow replies to confirm or reschedule.
  4. 4Set up recall lists (annual visits, follow-ups) to send automatically.

Tools: Luma Health · Weave · NexHealth · Artera · Epic MyChart

How to automate this task

Task 10 · typically 45 min, every day

Send referrals and chase the paperwork

Software featureBest fix

Let AI sort faxes and referrals into the right chart and queue

Intelligent document tools read incoming faxes and referrals, match them to the patient, label the document type and route it. Staff check the uncertain ones instead of sorting every page.

Typically saves about 50% of the time4 h to set up
  1. 1Count how many faxes and referrals you handle a day.
  2. 2Ask IT about AI document processing that works with your EHR (for example Tennr, Concord, Medsender or Notable).
  3. 3Start with one document type, such as referrals or outside records.
  4. 4Review the low-confidence items daily.
  5. 5Only use tools your organization has approved and covered by a HIPAA business associate agreement (BAA) for anything with patient information.

Tools: Tennr · Concord · Medsender · Notable

One more way to fix it
Software feature

Use secure messaging instead of paging and waiting by the phone

Secure chat lets you message the right doctor, pharmacist or unit with the patient context attached, see when they read it, and carry on working.

Typically saves about 30% of the time15 min to set up
  1. 1Check which secure messaging tool you have: Epic Secure Chat, TigerConnect, Vocera or Microsoft Teams with healthcare settings.
  2. 2Use it for non-urgent questions instead of pages.
  3. 3Message the role (for example "on-call cardiology") rather than a person, if your tool supports it.
  4. 4Keep phone calls for urgent changes.

Tools: Epic Secure Chat · TigerConnect · Vocera · Microsoft Teams

How to automate this task

Task 11 · typically 45 min, every day

Answer patient questions about bills

Software featureBest fix

Give patients clear online bills, text-to-pay and payment plans

Clear digital statements with a pay link and self-service payment plans answer most billing questions before patients call.

Typically saves about 40% of the time2 h to set up
  1. 1Check whether your PM system or billing partner offers text-to-pay and online statements (Cedar, Phreesia, InstaMed, Waystar, Rectangle Health).
  2. 2Turn on self-service payment plans.
  3. 3Add a short FAQ about common bill questions to the statement.
  4. 4Track call volume before and after.

Tools: Cedar · Phreesia · InstaMed · Waystar · Rectangle Health

One more way to fix it
Software feature

Let a healthcare AI phone agent handle routine calls

Healthcare voice agents (with a BAA) answer, book and reschedule appointments, take refill requests and answer simple questions, and pass clinical or upset callers to staff.

Typically saves about 40% of the time4 h to set up
  1. 1Pull a week of call reasons from your phone system.
  2. 2Pick the routine ones (scheduling, directions, refill requests, billing balance).
  3. 3Trial an AI phone agent built for healthcare with a BAA (for example Hyro, Assort Health, Notable or Hello Patient).
  4. 4Connect it to your scheduling system and set clear handoff rules.
  5. 5Listen to a sample of calls weekly.

Tools: Hyro · Assort Health · Notable · Hello Patient

How to automate this task

Task 12 · typically 30 min, every day

Copy the same information between systems or spreadsheets

AutomationBest fix

Connect the two systems so data moves itself

A Zapier, Make, n8n or Power Automate flow copies new records from one system to the other the moment they appear.

Typically saves about 80% of the time2 h to set up
  1. 1Write down the trigger ("new row in", "new form submission", "deal marked won") and where it should go.
  2. 2Check if the two tools already have a built-in integration; turn it on if so.
  3. 3If not, build a two-step flow in Zapier, Make, n8n or Power Automate.
  4. 4Run it next to your manual process for a week, then stop copying by hand.

Tools: Zapier · Make · n8n · Microsoft Power Automate

One more way to fix it
AI

Have AI pull the details out into a table you can paste

Paste emails, PDFs or forms and get back clean rows in the exact columns your system needs.

Typically saves about 60% of the time5 min to set up
  1. 1Collect the source text (emails, PDFs, screenshots).
  2. 2Give the AI the column names you need.
  3. 3Paste the table into your spreadsheet or import file.
  4. 4Spot-check a few rows against the source.
Prompt to copy
Extract the following fields from the text below into a table with exactly these columns: [COLUMN 1], [COLUMN 2], [COLUMN 3]. One row per [ITEM]. Leave a cell blank if the value is not stated. Do not guess.

[PASTE TEXT OR ATTACH FILES]

Tools: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Microsoft Copilot

How to automate this task

Quick wins

Have you tried…

Have you connected two apps so information copies itself between them?
Tools like Zapier, Make or Power Automate watch for something new in one app and create it in the other, so nobody retypes it.
Have you tried the AI-drafted replies for patient messages in your EHR?
Some EHRs, including Epic, can now draft a reply to a patient message for you to edit and send. Your informatics team can tell you if it is switched on.
Do you submit prior authorizations electronically from the EHR instead of by fax?
Electronic prior authorization fills in the patient details from the chart and often gets an answer in minutes. Tools include CoverMyMeds and payer platforms linked to your EHR.
Do patients fill in their forms on their phone before they arrive?
Digital check-in sends patients a link to complete forms, upload their insurance card and sign consents. It goes straight into the chart, so nobody types from paper.
Do appointment reminders go out automatically by text?
Patients get a text and can reply to confirm or reschedule. Staff only call the ones who do not answer.
Have you had your organization's approved AI draft an appeal letter?
AI can draft a clear appeal that answers the payer's criteria one by one. Use only the BAA-covered tool your organization approves, and check every fact.
Do you use secure chat instead of paging and waiting by the phone?
Tools like Epic Secure Chat or TigerConnect let you message the doctor or pharmacy with the patient attached and carry on working while you wait.
Has your clinic tried an AI phone agent for booking and routine calls?
Healthcare AI phone agents book and move appointments and take refill requests, and pass anything clinical to staff. They must be covered by a HIPAA agreement.

HourLeak · the 8-minute work audit

Find out which of these cost your team the most

Each person picks their role, taps the tasks they really do and says how long each takes. The free check gives you your own top fixes; the team scan adds up the hours across everyone and turns them into a 30-day plan.

Take the free check Scan my team, $49

Answers are anonymous. Leaders only see team totals.

More roles in Healthcare

NursePractice / clinic managerMedical billing / coding specialistPhysician / clinicianPharmacy technicianAll roles