At Eye Care & Vision Associates, we have been working on a better way to handle your first phone call, and her name is Iris.
Iris is our new virtual scheduling assistant, and she is here to make booking, confirming, and changing your appointments easier. She works right over the phone, the same way you already reach us.
Keep reading to learn who Iris is, what she can do for you, and why you can feel comfortable saying hello!
Who is Iris?
Iris is a voice-based virtual scheduling assistant powered by Assort Health, the technology partner Eye Care & Vision Associates chose to help streamline routine phone requests.
When you call, Iris can answer right away and walk you through scheduling without the back-and-forth of phone tag. She is designed to feel natural and conversational, so talking to her is a lot like talking to a helpful front-desk team member.
The name was a team effort. Our staff held a friendly internal contest to pick it, and Iris won, which felt fitting for an eye care practice.
As an experienced practice that serves all of Western New York, ECVA is always looking for thoughtful ways to make your care more convenient.
What Can Iris Help You With?
Iris handles the everyday scheduling tasks that used to require waiting on hold. She can take care of a few common requests for you:
- Schedule a new appointment, including a routine comprehensive eye exam, without sitting on hold during a busy stretch
- Reschedule or cancel an existing appointment in just a few minutes
- Confirm an upcoming visit and answer basic scheduling questions
She can also route your call to the right department and take a non-urgent message for your provider when needed.
One of the best parts is timing. Iris is available 24/7 for routine requests, so you can call after dinner or early in the morning and still get your appointment set. If a question falls outside what she can do, she simply passes you along to a team member who can help.
Will I Still Be Able to Talk to a Real Person?
Yes, always. Iris was never meant to replace our staff, and you can request a live team member during regular business hours whenever you prefer. Some patients love the speed of handling things with Iris, and others would rather chat with a person, and both are perfectly fine.
The quiet benefit for everyone is when Iris takes care of routine scheduling, our front-desk team has more time for the patients who need a longer conversation. That means shorter hold times when you do want to speak with someone, and more attention for the questions that deserve a careful, personal answer.
If Iris ever cannot understand or complete your request, your call will be transferred to a staff member during office hours. You can always reach any of our four Western New York offices the same way you do today.
What If I Have an Urgent Concern?
Your safety comes first, and Iris is built with that in mind.
If you say something that sounds urgent or state symptoms that need fast attention, the system immediately transfers your call to our care team. She is a careful listener who recognizes when a situation calls for a human, right away.
This matters because eye symptoms can move quickly. A sudden burst of new flashes or floaters, for example, can signal a problem that should be checked promptly rather than scheduled for next month. Iris knows the difference between a routine booking and a moment that needs our team now.
The Things Iris Leaves to Our Team
It also helps to know what Iris does not do. She will not offer medical advice or answer clinical questions, because those belong with your doctor. Instead, she directs medical questions to the right person in our office or helps you schedule a visit with your provider.
A First Step Toward Easier Eye Care
Iris is the beginning of a longer partnership between Eye Care & Vision Associates and Assort Health, with more helpful features planned down the road. We started with scheduling because that first phone call touches nearly every patient, and a smoother call makes a real difference in your day.
Iris is still learning the ins and outs of our scheduling system, so we appreciate your patience while she gets up to speed. Your feedback genuinely helps her improve and serve you better.
Finding practical ways to make your care more convenient is part of how the team at Eye Care & Vision Associates has worked since the practice opened, and Iris is the latest example.
Saying Hello to Iris
Iris gives you a faster, more flexible way to manage routine scheduling while keeping our full team available whenever you want to speak with a person. She is friendly, secure, and completely optional, built to save you time on the phone so you can focus on your vision. Booking your next eye appointment can be as simple as making one quick call.
Ready to meet Iris and book your next visit? Schedule an appointment at Eye Care & Vision Associates in Buffalo, NY, online or by calling 716.631.EYES (3937) to see how easy scheduling can be.