How AI Creates More Space for Empathy in Healthcare

Artificial intelligence encourages greater efficiency, but in healthcare, one of its more powerful contributions may be far more human: creating room for empathy. Rather than replacing the human touch in the customer experience, at Elevance Health, AI strengthens it. By helping service teams more easily access information, AI also gives them the time to better relate to the health situations of the people they serve.

Healthcare is deeply personal. The uncertainty, stress, and vulnerability that can come with a procedure or diagnosis can be magnified exponentially when someone must navigate systems and data that don’t talk to each other. This also makes it difficult for service teams to fully understand a person’s situation and the support they need.

AI changes that dynamic.
 

Making Every Service Interaction More Human

With the help of AI, service associates no longer have to start from scratch when a member reaches out. By stitching together critical details about a member’s whole health and past healthcare experiences — within established legal and consumer protections governing the use of such information — AI can help create a more complete picture of that member. This makes it easier for a service associate to help them.

This shift addresses one of healthcare’s longstanding challenges: fragmented data and siloed systems. It also allows service representatives to move from a reactive state to a more active understanding, helping them anticipate a member’s needs and offer more personalized support.

Customer service becomes more empathetic when service teams know more from the start and members don’t need to repeat themselves. The experience becomes less transactional and more relational.
 

Enhancing Our Listening Skills

With tools like transcription and text analysis, AI also brings a new level of understanding to phone calls and other conversations; the text can be instantly analyzed to help identify how members may have felt during and after their interactions with us. Service representatives can reach out when needed or appropriate, extending empathy beyond just the initial call, text, or email.

This kind of feedback creates a system of ongoing learning that can help uncover a member’s unmet needs, such as a lack of nutritious food or transportation to pick up a prescription. It can also enhance service quality by helping associates ask the right questions and form attentive, compassionate responses.

Over time, it also builds trust — an essential piece of healthcare.
 

Giving Service Teams More Time

At the same time, AI strengthens empathy by giving our associates something equally valuable: time.

Healthcare has traditionally demanded that service teams navigate multiple systems, take notes, and search for information, requiring them to juggle a heavy administrative load while attempting to listen intently to a member they’re trying to help. AI can more quickly find relevant information and manage routine processes in the background, freeing up time for a more meaningful person-to-person connection. With fewer manual tasks, service associates can listen carefully, ask thoughtful questions, and offer reassurance.

One warm phone call isn’t the end goal, though. When members feel understood and supported, they’re more likely to follow the recommendations of their care provider. They may seek care sooner, feel more confident managing their health, and take steps that support better health. This is how empathy makes a lasting impact.
 

Balancing AI Innovation with Accountability and Responsibility

While AI can foster empathy, its use must be grounded in responsibility. Data must be used ethically, transparently, and securely, or trust will erode.