Talking Tech and Natural Language Processing – Making It Work in Healthcare

Many industries have made technological advances in Natural Language Processing (NLP) and deployed conversational solutions that can learn and improve over time. Companies like Kayak and Bank of America have launched digital assistants that answer frequently asked questions and attempt to offload calls from overworked support teams. Some of these digital assistants, like Bank of America’s Erica, have seen significant use and traction, saving millions in support costs. Despite spending billions of dollars on repetitive tasks, the industry still struggles to deploy chatbots that can answer basic patient questions.

What lessons can healthcare learn from other industries? And how can healthcare make NLP technology work within its clinical and regulatory frameworks? Here are three barriers to NLP success in healthcare.