Tampere's Veter uses AI assistant to triage emergency calls

Pet owners calling the busy emergency line at Tampere’s Veter hospital may reach an AI-assisted responder instead of a staff member, according to Aamulehti. The system kicks in when the duty line is congested and tells callers at the start if their call is handled by artificial intelligence.

Evidensia’s communications director Jari Pulkkinen says the AI does not make medical judgments or give diagnoses. Its role is to collect essential information, forward it to the on-duty team and tell owners to come straight to the emergency clinic if the animal appears to be in danger. The service was rolled out clinic by clinic this year and developed from user feedback. It has cut phone wait times and is intended to improve patient safety without major additional costs.

Veter’s emergency and general numbers are paid lines. Callers are notified at the start if a call is connected to the AI, and owners may also arrive at the clinic without phoning first. The step follows the city's recent research-sparring pilot with Tampere University to test and improve local AI programmes.