AI Receptionist for OCT and retinal imaging appointments
Every OCT scan enquiry answered. Every retinal imaging appointment booked.
Ava is the AI receptionist for OCT retinal imaging that answers every scan enquiry, captures the referral source, and books the appointment — without clinical interpretation.
Each missed OCT enquiry costs £30–£50 in scan add-on fees plus the eye test and spectacle revenue of a retained annual patient — missed repeatedly, this is hundreds per patient per year.
The short answer
- £30–£50 OCT add-on per patient plus the retained annual eye test and spectacle dispense makes each OCT enquiry worth capturing in full.
- 3 referral types captured in-call — GP referral, self-referral, or existing patient recall — plus the clinical reason for the scan, so the optometrist arrives prepared.
- £10,000–£30,000+ capital investment in an OCT machine is recovered faster when every enquiry is answered — Ava ensures no scan booking goes unanswered.
- 2-way integration with Optix, Ocuco, and iQ4olution writes confirmed OCT appointments into your specialist diary against the correct machine and optometrist.
- 100% UK GDPR compliant — ICO registered and comes with a signed Data Processing Agreement before any patient data is handled.
The problem
A patient has been told by their GP to have an OCT scan to check for macular degeneration. They ring your practice — one of the few independents in the area with an OCT machine. Your optometrist is in the testing room. Nobody answers. The patient tries the hospital eye service instead.
What Ava does
Ava answers every OCT and retinal imaging enquiry, captures the referral source and clinical reason for the scan, explains your private OCT add-on fee, and books the appointment directly into your OCT diary.
A private OCT scan adds £30–£50 to the appointment fee. More importantly, the patient who books an OCT scan typically also books or retains their annual eye test — and their spectacle dispense.
How does Ava handle OCT and retinal imaging enquiries for an optician?
Ava answers every OCT enquiry, asks whether the caller was referred by a GP or is self-referring, captures the clinical concern prompting the scan — macular health, glaucoma monitoring, diabetic eye check — explains your OCT add-on fee of £30–£50, and books the appointment against your OCT diary.
OCT enquiry calls are more clinically specific than a standard eye test booking call. The patient has often been told by a GP or hospital consultant to have a retinal scan, or has read about OCT and is seeking it proactively. Ava captures the referral context and the specific concern — macular degeneration family history, high myopia check, diabetic eye screening — so the optometrist arrives at the appointment fully briefed.
She explains the OCT add-on fee clearly without the patient needing to ask. Most practices charge £30–£50 for the scan as a private addition to the standard eye test fee. Ava quotes your specific fee, explains what the scan involves in plain terms (a non-invasive cross-section of the retinal layers), and books the combined appointment.
Ava does not interpret scan results, advise on what the scan findings might indicate, or make any clinical determination about the patient's eye health. She books and captures. The clinical assessment of OCT findings sits entirely with the optometrist.
Why is OCT a high-value appointment type and what happens when enquiries go unanswered?
OCT is one of the highest-value appointment types in independent optometry — not just for the £30–£50 scan fee, but because patients who request OCT tend to be health-conscious, engaged, and likely to become annual patients. A missed OCT enquiry loses both the scan fee and a long-term patient relationship.
Practices that have invested in an OCT machine need utilisation to justify the asset. An unanswered OCT enquiry is both a direct revenue miss and a utilisation failure. In a practice running its OCT machine at 60% capacity, Ava answering every enquiry can materially improve return on that capital investment.
GP-referred OCT patients are particularly time-sensitive. A GP has specifically recommended the scan and the patient feels a clinical urgency. If they reach voicemail, many contact the hospital eye service instead, bypassing the primary care optometry pathway entirely and adding unnecessary pressure to secondary care.
Ava removes the miss. She answers every OCT enquiry — during testing sessions, at lunch, after hours — and ensures GP-referred patients are booked promptly rather than defaulting to the hospital pathway.
Does Ava explain what an OCT scan involves to callers unfamiliar with the technology?
Yes. Ava is trained to explain OCT in plain, non-clinical terms — a non-invasive scan that takes a detailed cross-section image of the layers at the back of the eye, taking about five minutes with no drops required. She explains the private add-on fee and what the appointment involves, so callers can give informed consent to booking.
Many patients enquiring about OCT have been told they need one but do not fully understand what it involves. Some assume it requires dilation drops (which can be inconvenient for driving). Ava can clarify that most OCT scans do not require dilation, that the scan itself takes under five minutes, and that the optometrist reviews the results during the appointment.
This explanation is process information, not clinical advice. Ava describes what the appointment involves — not what the results might mean for the patient's eye health. She is clear that the optometrist will discuss findings at the appointment.
For practices where dilation is part of the OCT protocol, Ava warns callers not to drive after the appointment and asks whether they have someone to collect them — a logistical point, not a clinical one.
Is Ava compliant with the data standards required for OCT and diagnostic imaging appointments?
Yes. Ava is UK GDPR compliant and ICO registered, and we sign a Data Processing Agreement before any patient data is handled. She does not interpret OCT findings, assess retinal health, or advise on clinical outcomes — consistent with GOC regulatory expectations.
Patient data captured during OCT booking calls — name, referral source, clinical concern, contact number — is processed under a documented lawful basis and stored on UK or EU infrastructure. The practice remains the data controller; avacallai acts as processor under a formal DPA.
Ava never comments on what an OCT scan might reveal, advises on the significance of macular or retinal findings, or interprets any clinical result. She books the appointment and routes clinical questions to the optometrist. The diagnostic assessment sits entirely with the GOC-registered practitioner.
Every call and capture is logged, supporting both clinical governance and missed-call reporting for your OCT utilisation tracking.
£30–£50
Typical private OCT add-on fee at a UK independent optical practice
UK optometry market estimate
High capital cost
OCT machines require significant capital investment — utilisation from answered enquiries directly improves ROI
UK optometry market estimate
24/7
Hours Ava answers — including GP-referred patients who ring urgently outside opening hours
avacallai service definition
The difference
Voicemail takes a message. Ava books the appointment.
What callers ring about
Every oct & retinal imaging call, handled.
- OCT scan add-on bookings
- GP-referred retinal imaging
- Glaucoma monitoring appointments
- Macular health check bookings
Hear it in action
This is what your callers hear.
- Good morning, RetinalView Opticians — how can I help?
- My GP said I should have an OCT scan done. I'm not quite sure what that is.
- Of course — an OCT scan is a non-invasive scan that takes a detailed image of the layers at the back of your eye. It takes about five minutes and doesn't require any drops. We add it to your eye examination for £40. Would you like to book that?
- Yes please. Do I need to do anything special before I come in?
- No preparation needed. I have availability this Friday at 2pm or next Monday at 10am — which works for you?
Before you choose
What to look for in an AI receptionist for oct & retinal imaging.
Referral source capture
OCT bookings frequently come from GP referrals, hospital recommendations, or proactive self-referrals. The system must capture the referral source so your optometrist arrives at the appointment with the right clinical context.
Fee transparency
Private OCT add-on fees vary by practice. Train the system on your specific fee during setup so callers get a clear answer rather than being asked to call back — ambiguity loses bookings.
Non-clinical boundary
OCT enquiry calls often include questions about what the scan might reveal. Confirm the system explains the appointment process without interpreting or predicting clinical outcomes. Clinical discussion sits with the optometrist.
Dilation protocol awareness
If your OCT protocol includes dilation, the system should warn callers about driving restrictions and ask about transport. This is a logistics point — not clinical advice — and it prevents appointment no-shows.
Common questions
Everything you’re wondering.
Can Ava explain what an OCT scan involves to a caller who has never had one?
Yes. Ava explains OCT in plain terms — a non-invasive scan of the retinal layers, taking about five minutes with no drops required in most cases. She explains the private add-on fee and what the combined appointment involves, giving the caller enough information to commit to booking.
Can Ava handle GP-referred OCT enquiries?
Yes. Ava captures the GP referral context, the specific clinical concern noted by the GP, and books the OCT appointment promptly — preventing GP-referred patients from defaulting to the hospital eye service because no one answered their call.
Does Ava interpret eye test results or give clinical advice?
No. Ava books appointments and explains the appointment process. She does not interpret OCT findings, assess retinal or macular health, or advise on clinical outcomes. The diagnostic assessment sits entirely with the GOC-registered optometrist.
Can Ava quote the private OCT add-on fee?
Yes. During setup we train Ava on your specific OCT add-on fee so she can give callers a clear, accurate answer in the booking call rather than asking them to ring back to speak with reception.
Does Ava warn callers about driving if dilation is involved?
Yes. If your OCT protocol includes dilation, Ava is trained to inform callers that driving may not be possible after the appointment and to ask whether they have transport arranged. This prevents no-shows and appointment friction.
Does Ava integrate with optical practice management software?
Yes. Ava integrates with Optix, Ocuco, iQ4olution, Acuity Scheduling, and Sycle — writing OCT appointments directly into your specialist diary against the correct machine and optometrist.
Is Ava compliant with UK data protection law?
Yes. Ava is UK GDPR compliant and ICO registered. We provide a signed Data Processing Agreement before any patient data — including diagnostic appointment details — is handled.
Pricing
Ava pays for herself on call one.
A private OCT scan adds £30–£50 to the appointment fee. More importantly, the patient who books an OCT scan typically also books or retains their annual eye test — and their spectacle dispense. Plans from £397/mo. One recovered job a month covers it — everything else is pure upside.
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