Call centers undermine patient care in American healthcare, says expert
CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES — The healthcare industry is undergoing a significant transformation as administrative tasks are increasingly centralized through call centers. This shift, aimed at reducing costs and improving efficiency, has changed how patients interact with their providers.
Sachin Jain, President and CEO of SCAN Group and Health Plan, warned that this trend is eroding the personal touch that defines quality medical care.
The importance of personal relationships in patient care
In a Forbes article, Jain reflected on his time in a primary care clinic, where collaboration with staff like Sandra, a medical assistant, and Linda, a secretary, was essential for effective patient care.
These team members built relationships with patients, enabling them to address urgent needs, process medication refills seamlessly, and provide reassurance.
They also understood the nuances of patient care — such as knowing to contact a family member when direct communication with a patient was ineffective.
Efficiency vs. connection: The downsides of centralization
While centralizing call centers may streamline operations by allowing for task specialization and increased throughput, Jain argued that it undermines personalized care.
“Centralized call centers — no matter how well-meaning or how efficient they make scheduling — actually subtly and insidiously make the process of care arguably less efficient and less coordinated,” he explained.
Patients often face delays and frustration as calls are routed to distant operators who lack familiarity with their needs or their doctors.
Real-life consequences of call center barriers
Jain recounted a story about a colleague’s mother who struggled to reach her orthopedic surgeon due to call center inefficiencies. After leaving multiple unreturned messages, she resorted to using a menu option intended for doctors to bypass the system.
While this allowed her to get the information she needed, the workaround highlighted the barriers patients face in accessing timely care — an issue particularly burdensome for older adults or those with mobility challenges.
Restoring the human touch in healthcare
Jain emphasized that healthcare should be a “well-coordinated team sport” where familiarity and social connection enhance care quality. The trend toward centralized call centers risks dismantling these critical relationships, replacing them with impersonal systems that prioritize efficiency over connection.
As Jain cautioned, “The deep, personal knowledge of the people they serve is lost to ‘efficiency.’”
While call centers may offer administrative benefits, they can compromise the personalized care that is central to effective medicine. To preserve the human connection at the heart of healthcare, organizations must reconsider the balance between efficiency and patient-centered care.
