Count On Coffey

By Jeremy Dietz, Director of AI Strategy and Content

AI can help people discover your healthcare organization. But it's just as useful once they arrive on your website. Adding AI-powered chatbots or website search functionality will help your visitors find what they're looking for and give your team valuable data that you can use to improve the site.

AI-powered chatbots

Previous versions of website chatbots had to be hand-programmed. Someone mapped out each question and answer in advance.

AI chatbots work differently. They read a visitor's question and point them to the right answer fast. You can train a chatbot to only provide answers using your website content. This lowers the risk of wrong or made-up replies.

There are a variety of HIPAA-compliant chatbot options on the market. Many can be quickly integrated with your website.

AI-enhanced site search

In the past, site search tools were often keyword-based and worked by looking for matches between the terms the user typed and the text on the page.

Newer AI tools understand meaning, not just words. That means a search for "chest pain" can surface your cardiology page even if those exact words aren't on it. Some AI-powered site search tools can also add a short AI summary, like those found on Google, or answer follow-up questions like a chatbot.
Depending on your content management system (CMS), you may be able to upgrade your existing site search to an AI-powered version. There are also third-party services that specialize in site search.

The data you need to improve your website

In addition to making your website easier to use, both chatbots and AI-powered site search provide you with valuable data. They show the exact words people use when looking for information—and where these searches came back empty. That gives you a ready-made list of content to add or update.

Where should you start?

You don't necessarily have to choose between a chatbot or an AI-powered site search upgrade. Both of these features can work together to improve your site.

Of course, check with your IT, privacy and compliance teams before adding any tool that handles patient questions or personal information.

Categories: AI