● Covered by 1 source · 1 reportLow impact1 negative
Kinney Drugs Scales Back AI Phone Assistant After Customer Complaints
Key points
- Kinney Drugs introduced AI assistant "Burt" in May for patient communication.
- Customers reported issues including incoherent calls and wrong dosages.
- Kinney Drugs will return to a touch-tone system for incoming calls.
- Burt will continue for opt-in outbound communications like refill texts.
AI Assistant Encountered Issues
Kinney Drugs introduced an AI assistant named Burt in May to manage patient communications regarding prescriptions and refills. Following its implementation, customers reported a range of problems, including incoherent phone calls, incorrect dosage information, and failures in prescription notification delivery.
Rollback of AI for Incoming Calls
In response to the complaints, Kinney Drugs President John Marraffa stated that the company would revert to its traditional touch-tone phone system for handling incoming patient calls. This decision addresses the negative customer experience with the AI assistant.
Privacy Concerns Addressed
Customers also raised concerns about data privacy, specifically regarding the potential exposure of personal health information through the AI platform. Marraffa confirmed that Burt is HIPAA compliant and does not generate, manipulate, or use open-source data, aiming to reassure patients about the security of their information.
Continued Use for Outbound Communication
While the AI assistant will no longer handle incoming calls, Kinney Drugs plans to retain Burt for outbound communications, such as prescription refill text messages. Patients will have the option to opt in to receive these communications.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
The daily brief
One email each morning: the day's tech stories, clustered across outlets and summarized. No account needed.
One email a day. Unsubscribe in one click, any time.
Today's brief
Spend a few minutes, get the whole day. Every topic's top stories in one hands-free rundown — listen, watch, or read the transcript.
▶ Play today's brief
New every morning, and the back catalogue is archived by date.
Reporting from
Kinney Drugs is reducing the role of its AI assistant, Burt, for incoming patient calls due to numerous customer complaints about incoherent conversations, incorrect dosages, and missed notifications. The pharmacy will revert to its previous touch-tone phone system for inbound communication, while retaining Burt for opt-in outbound texts.