The National Health Service (NHS) is under increasing pressure due to factors such as the ageing population and complexity of care. As a result, there is growing interest in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to support clinical work and save time. One example is ‘Dora’, an autonomous telephone-based conversational agent developed by Ufonia Limited, which is currently used across several NHS trusts. To move towards incorporating Large Language Models (LLMs) into the current traditional system, a collaborative project is exploring how to enable more empathic clinical conversations in bone health contexts. Prior to a planned clinical trial, this study explored the technology’s usability through a Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) workshop.
The workshop was conducted with 16 participants recruited from the University College London Hospital (UCLH) Rheumatology Research PPI group. Participants completed two simulated telephone interactions with Dora: an initial assessment based on a fracture risk tool and a follow-up c to check adherence and outcomes. These were followed by post-call discussions to assess perceptions. These discussions were analysed using thematic analysis, while engineers reviewed call logs to identify technical issues.
Participants were generally positive about the concept of Dora and its potential to support healthcare delivery, particularly valuing the unhurried interaction. However, perceptions of the experience were mixed, with some participants describing the voice and interaction as natural, while others perceiving it as robotic or lacking empathy. Several technical issues were also identified, including ensuring Dora was able to handle interruptions and reducing repetitive responses. Across discussions, participants emphasised the importance of developing Dora so clinicians maintain oversight and patients still have the option to speak with a clinician.
These findings will be used to update Dora prior to the trial and further support in ensuring the technology is developed to be human-centred and aligned with future users.