Hiring vs. Automation: Cost Comparison for Modern Clinics
Hiring vs. Automation: Cost Comparison for Modern Clinics
Introduction: Rising Clinic Costs Are Forcing a New Choice
Across the country, clinics are facing the same pressure:
higher patient call volume
staffing shortages
rising wages
increased operational overhead
For clinics running on Tebra, eClinicalWorks, ModMed, NextGen, or Athena, front-desk performance directly affects revenue — because every missed call is a missed appointment.
The two most common solutions look like this:
Hire more staff or extend hours
Use automation to capture calls, schedule appointments, and reduce administrative burden
This article compares the true cost of each approach and breaks down why AI reception is quickly becoming the operational standard for clinics that need reliable, round-the-clock coverage.
The Real Cost of Hiring Additional Front-Desk Staff
Hiring is familiar — but it’s also expensive and less scalable than many clinics expect.
Typical Costs Per Full-Time Front-Desk Staff Member
Base salary: $33,000–$48,000/year
Benefits + employer taxes: $8,000–$12,000/year
Training + onboarding: $1,500–$3,000
Turnover replacement (national average 38–42%): $4,000–$6,000 per departure
Annual cost per staff member:
➡ $45,000–$65,000+
And that’s just one individual who can only answer one call at a time.
After-Hours or Weekend Coverage
If clinics want extended hours:
overtime pay
split shifts
staggered staffing
or hiring a second FTE
These push annual staffing costs well above $80,000.
Still limited, still human-dependent, still vulnerable to sick days and burnout.
Call Centers: Coverage, But at a Premium
Call centers are the traditional fallback for clinics that cannot staff a 24/7 front desk.
Costs
Monthly contracts: $2,000–$6,000+
Per-minute charges
Long-term agreements
Additional fees for on-call paging, bilingual agents, and overflow handling
Annual cost:
➡ $24,000–$72,000+
Operational Issues
While call centers solve “being available,” they create new problems:
long hold times
inconsistent call quality
high patient frustration
no real-time EHR updates
frequent message errors
delayed scheduling
Call centers answer, but they don’t operate your clinic’s workflow.
AI Front Desk Automation: Lower Cost, Higher Coverage
AI reception replaces the bottleneck entirely.
A modern AI receptionist like MedCalls provides:
24/7/365 coverage
instant call answering
unlimited simultaneous calls
scheduling, rescheduling, cancellations
clinical routing
follow-ups and reminders
direct integration with major EHRs
Most importantly, it operates at a fraction of staffing or call center costs.
Typical AI Reception Cost (MedCalls Model)
➡ Priced monthly based on call volume — not salaries or per-minute fees
➡ No long-term contracts
➡ No onboarding or training costs
➡ No turnover losses
Most clinics see savings of $30,000–$60,000/year compared to hiring and $20,000–$40,000/year compared to call centers.
How Automation Works Inside Existing EHR Systems
A major reason clinics choose MedCalls is because it works inside the EHR they already rely on, including:
Tebra
eClinicalWorks
ModMed
NextGen
Athena
other major providers
This avoids the biggest cost driver in healthcare operations:
manual entry, double handling, and delayed information flow.
With direct integration, MedCalls can:
verify or update patient appointments
schedule in real-time
route calls to the correct provider or department
handle cancellations instantly
reduce admin workload by hours per day
Staff stay focused on patient care while automation handles the predictable communication.
ROI: Where AI Creates Immediate Savings
Clinics switching to automation typically see:
1. Reduced labor costs
Replacing after-hours and overflow coverage instantly cuts major staffing expenses.
2. More booked appointments
AI picks up every call — and every appointment call becomes revenue.
3. Fewer no-shows
Automated reminders and confirmations reduce lost time slots.
4. More efficient staff
Teams no longer spend hours returning voicemails or re-entering schedule changes.
5. Higher patient satisfaction
Immediate answering + accurate scheduling = fewer complaints and better retention.
Conclusion: Automation Outperforms Hiring in Every Category Except One
Hiring provides human warmth — something no AI will fully replace.
But for answering calls, booking appointments, routing issues, and protecting staff workload, AI delivers:
higher coverage
lower cost
fewer errors
faster response times
direct EHR workflow compatibility
no turnover
no training
no staffing shortages
Clinics using Tebra, eClinicalWorks, ModMed, NextGen, and Athena already have robust EHR infrastructure.
MedCalls builds on that foundation and replaces the most expensive operational bottleneck: the front desk.
Ready to See Your Cost Breakdown?
Book a consultation:
https://medcalls.ai/consultation
Explore EHR Integrations:
https://medcalls.ai/ehr-integrations
View Pricing:
https://medcalls.ai/pricing
