# The AI receptionist for pharmacies that protects your pharmacists’ time An AI receptionist for pharmacies answers the calls that interrupt your counter all day: hours, holiday hours, delivery areas, vaccine appointments and store services. It books vaccine and consultation appointments, and it sends every refill status and medication question to your pharmacy staff. It never gives medication advice, and emergencies are told to call 911. ## Why pharmacies miss calls - **The phone interrupts dispensing:** Your pharmacists and technicians are filling prescriptions, counseling patients and handling insurance issues. Every call asking what time you close pulls someone away from work that requires focus and care. - **Callers wait on hold:** At busy times, callers sit on hold just to ask whether you deliver to their street or carry a certain item. Some hang up and call another pharmacy, and some come to the counter frustrated after waiting too long. - **Vaccine season floods the line:** During flu season, calls about vaccine availability and appointments pile on top of normal prescription calls. The counter gets busier at exactly the same time the phone does, and something has to give. ## Calls Vocenya answers for pharmacies - Store hours and holiday hours - Delivery area and delivery time questions - Flu and other vaccine appointments - Refill status requests for pharmacy staff - Medication questions routed to the pharmacist - Durable medical equipment and compounding inquiries - Transfer-in requests from new customers ## How does an AI receptionist help independent pharmacies? A large share of pharmacy calls are simple questions that do not need a pharmacist: hours, delivery, services and whether you carry something. An AI receptionist answers those instantly from your website and notes, around the clock, and books vaccine or consultation appointments. Your pharmacists and technicians stay focused on filling prescriptions and counseling the patients in front of them, and callers stop waiting on hold for basic answers. Answers stay consistent on every call. ## Can a pharmacy answering service check refill status? No. The AI does not look up prescriptions or say whether an order is ready. Refill status and refill requests go to your pharmacy staff. The AI takes the caller’s first name, best callback number and whether they want pickup or delivery, then sends it to your team or transfers the call based on your rules. Staff can work through callbacks in batches instead of stopping for each ring. Customers know a callback is coming. ## Will the AI answer medication questions? Never. Questions about dosing, side effects, drug interactions or whether a medication is safe always go to your pharmacist. The AI routes those calls by transfer or callback, and it tells anyone describing an emergency, such as a possible overdose, a severe allergic reaction or trouble breathing, to call 911. It can also share the national Poison Control number, 1-800-222-1222, when your rules include it. Your pharmacist handles everything clinical. ## Is it safe for pharmacy customer calls? Pharmacies can add HIPAA mode with a signed BAA for $150 a month, which includes patient-safe texting and keeps recordings in GH-controlled systems. The AI collects only a first name, a callback number and the reason for the call. It identifies itself as a virtual assistant and never pretends to be a pharmacist or technician. You review and edit what it says before it answers any real customer. You can update hours and services any time. ## Frequently asked questions ### Can the AI take a refill request? It can take the request, not process it. The AI records the caller’s first name, callback number and whether they want pickup or delivery, then sends it to your pharmacy staff. Your team checks the prescription and follows up with the customer directly. ### Can it book flu shots and other vaccines? Yes. The AI can book vaccine appointments into Google Calendar or Microsoft 365 on Growth and above, and share any eligibility or paperwork information you publish. Clinical screening questions are handled by your pharmacist at the visit. Your staff get a summary of every booking. ### Can new customers transfer prescriptions through it? The AI can take a transfer request with the customer’s first name, callback number and current pharmacy, then pass it to your staff to complete. It does not collect medication lists or process the transfer itself. Your staff complete every transfer directly. ### Do we have to change our pharmacy phone number? No. You can forward your existing number to Vocenya during busy hours, after hours or all day. Customers keep dialing the number printed on their labels, and you can turn forwarding off any time. No new equipment is needed. Nothing changes for your customers. ### What plan fits a pharmacy? Many independent pharmacies start with Starter at $99 a month for 300 minutes and lifelike voices, or Growth at $249 for vaccine booking and warm transfers to the counter. Every plan includes a 14-day free trial and no contract. You can cancel any time. --- Source: https://vocenya.com/industries/pharmacies Vocenya, powered by GH Business Solutions. Plans from $49/month with a 14-day free trial: https://vocenya.com/pricing