Why AI Agents Outperform Offshore Call Centers in Healthcare Access Management

Kelly Scott

Healthcare organizations under pressure to reduce costs are often tempted by offshore call centers offering rates as low as $7.50 per hour. On paper, that sounds like a smart move—especially when access center teams are struggling to keep up with rising patient demand, missed appointments, and burnout.

But as leaders at several health systems have discovered, what looks like a 20x cost savings on paper rarely plays out that way in practice. When you add up the full cost of offshore staffing—and compare it to what modern AI can offer—there’s a strong case for investing in automation instead.

Here’s why AI-powered access solutions like Luma Health’s Navigator are not only more cost-effective, but a smarter, more scalable choice for healthcare organizations looking to modernize patient engagement.

The Hidden Costs of Offshore Call Centers

1. Turnover and training burn resources. Offshore call centers, especially those supporting healthcare, face high employee turnover—ranging from 30% to 45%. Every time an agent leaves, organizations incur hidden costs: onboarding, training, and productivity losses. If it takes up to three months to fully train a new access center agent, that’s three months before they’re even able to support patients confidently.

2. Management overhead adds up. Managing offshore teams introduces friction. Organizations must accommodate time zones, language barriers, performance oversight, and quality assurance processes. Add in the infrastructure to securely handle sensitive data and the model quickly becomes more complex—and expensive—than anticipated.

Even when healthcare organizations outsource offshore staffing through an agency—avoiding the need to manage those teams directly—the burden doesn’t disappear. Practices still face high costs, delays from turnover, and frustrating coordination challenges. The agency may handle day-to-day management, but communication gaps, time zone friction, and inefficiencies still land squarely on the practice’s shoulders. The promise of “hands-off” management often turns out to be more complicated in practice.

3. Compliance and security risk. Partnering with an offshore vendor can introduce risk: U.S. laws including HIPAA may not be enforceable in other countries and enforcing contractual obligations including anything referenced in a Business Associate Agreement may be difficult. Offshore vendors, depending on locale may not maintain the same standard of security and privacy controls we have come to expect in the U.S. and auditing their processes may be more difficult. These factors could lead to increased compliance and reputational risks that healthcare systems cannot afford to take lightly.

Why AI Agents Are Built for the Realities of Patient Access

1. AI is always on. Solutions like Navigator don’t clock out at the end of the day. They operate 24/7, instantly engaging patients for scheduling, appointment cancellation, rescheduling, medication refill intake and more — no shift coordination or overnight staffing required.

2. AI agents scale instantly. Need to handle a surge in call volume or launch a new service line? AI can scale up in minutes — not months. No hiring pipeline. No onboarding lag. No burnout.

3. AI eliminates training gaps. There’s no ramp-up period for Navigator. It launches with predefined workflows and can be configured to match your organization’s protocols. Staff training isn’t needed—and consistency is guaranteed.

4. AI agents reduce human error. Unlike offshore agents who rely on training and manual processes, Navigator handles workflows with accuracy and automation, minimizing the risk of miscommunication, data entry mistakes, or missed follow-ups.

The Real Financial Picture

Let’s revisit that $7.50/hour offshore agent. Sure, it’s cheap upfront — but it doesn’t tell the full story.

Abandoned calls cost money. Missed calls = missed appointments, revenue, and trust.
Training cycles cost time. Every new hire or attrition cycle delays service and drains staff resources.
Manual outreach costs scale poorly. Texting, calling, and rescheduling at volume overwhelms even large offshore teams.
AI solutions cost less in the long run. It doesn’t take breaks, quit, or require constant retraining—and it’s been shown to reduce delivery results.

The Security and Compliance Advantage

Navigator is built specifically for healthcare with privacy and security at its core. It’s HIPAA-compliant, integrated with leading EHRs, and rigorously tested to meet enterprise-grade security standards. Navigator builds upon Luma’s existing security programs and certifications in this area, including HITRUST CSF r2, ISO 27001:2022, US-EU Privacy Framework and TX-RAMP Level 2. Additionally, our annual SOC 2 Type II process reinforces our dedication to security and compliance. We’re committed to the gold standard in healthcare information security. We believe so strongly in our security programs that our policies are available publicly, without NDA at https://policy.lumahealth.io.

Luma employs robust data protection measures to safeguard sensitive information and access to data is strictly controlled through least-privilege principles, multi-factor authentication, VPNs, and context-aware access.

Navigator harnesses cutting-edge leading foundational AI models from trusted partners such as Vapi, Deepgram, OpenAI, Claude, and Elevenlabs. These models are regularly updated, with new versions released periodically — typically when they offer significant improvements in capabilities and performance.

It’s important to note that no patient data is ever used to train any models, and we operate on a zero-retention model, so no data is retained any third parties.

Final Takeaway: Cheap ≠ Scalable or Effective

Offshore agents may seem like a bargain — but in healthcare, speed, reliability, and data integrity matter more than hourly rates. When the true cost of managing offshore resources is considered, the math changes quickly.

AI agent solutions like Navigator are purpose-built for modern access needs: reducing staff burden, closing gaps in care, and delivering a better experience for patients — day or night.

Want to explore what AI-led access could look like for your organization? Let’s talk.

FAQs

How does pricing for Navigator compare to offshore call center models in real terms?
While specific pricing details are not publicly disclosed, Luma Health emphasizes that its AI-native Patient Success Platform reduces manual tasks, leading to increased efficiency and revenue. For instance, you can review the real outcomes that UAMS has seen using Navigator, suggesting significant cost savings compared to traditional staffing models.

Can Navigator handle both inbound and outbound workflows?
Yes. Navigator is designed to manage both inbound and outbound patient communications.

What specific workflows can Navigator automate today?
Navigator can automate a range of workflows, including:

Patient scheduling
Appointment confirmation
Appointment cancellation
Appointment listing
Appointment rescheduling
Prescription refills intake
Solve patient questions based on prescripted info from a website or other input
And more!

How does Navigator integrate with my EHR or practice management system?
Navigator offers bidirectional, seamless integration with all major EHRs—including Epic, eClinicalWorks, MEDITECH, Oracle Cerner, and athenahealth—ensuring patient data flows smoothly and securely between systems. Backed by over a decade of experience in building deep, robust EHR integrations, Luma is uniquely positioned to deliver reliable, scalable connectivity that reduces manual work, minimizes errors, and enables smarter workflows. Unlike other solutions, our proven integration track record means you won’t be left troubleshooting or relying on partial connections.

What are the limits of AI agents in complex patient interactions?
While Navigator handles a wide array of patient interactions, complex cases may still require human intervention. Navigator agents are designed to triage and escalate issues appropriately, ensuring patients are attended to appropriately and in a timely manner, receiving the necessary attention without overburdening staff.

What kind of results have other health systems seen?
Healthcare organizations using Luma Health’s platform have reported:

Patients receiving care 61 days sooner on average
2–3 fewer hours daily spent on manual calls
A 47% average increase in revenue

Is AI secure and compliant enough to replace human agents in a PHI-rich environment?
Yes. Luma Health’s platform is designed with security and compliance in mind, ensuring that patient data is handled in accordance with HIPAA regulations and industry best practices.

What’s the implementation timeline and IT lift?
Luma Health emphasizes ease of implementation with its platform. It happens in four key steps with each step taking approximately 7 business days: 1) solution design, 2) account configuration and QA testing, 3) user acceptance, and 4) go-live including go-live readiness. Dedicated support throughout the process ensures a smooth integration with existing systems, minimizing IT burden.

Can we configure Navigator to reflect our branding, scripts, or workflows?
Absolutely. Luma Health offers configurable workflows, allowing organizations to tailor the agent workflow to their specific needs and maintain consistency with their brand identity. (YouTube)

How do patients respond to interacting with an AI agent instead of a human?
Patients have responded positively to interactions with an AI agent, appreciating the convenience and efficiency. Luma Health’s platform is designed to enhance patient engagement, leading to improved satisfaction and outcomes.