The Hidden Phone Call Burden of Caregiving
Caregiving involves more phone calls than anyone prepares you for. Between healthcare providers, insurance companies, pharmacies, and service coordinators, family caregivers can spend 5+ hours per week on the phone managing someone else's life.
These aren't your calls to make during your schedule — they're constrained to business hours when you're also working or caregiving. Hold times of 20-45 minutes for healthcare and insurance are common. Every call requires gathering information, navigating complex phone systems, and often calling back because you reached the wrong department.
For long-distance caregivers, the challenge multiplies. You can't just "stop by" the doctor's office. Every interaction requires a phone call, often during limited windows that don't align with your time zone or schedule. The mental load of tracking all these calls, follow-ups, and action items becomes overwhelming.
📋What You Need Before Calling
- Your care recipient's full name and date of birth
- Insurance information (policy number, group number)
- List of current medications (for pharmacy/medical calls)
- Power of Attorney documentation reference (if applicable)
- Your relationship and contact information
- Specific question or task to accomplish
- Care recipient's preferred appointment times
📞Navigating Healthcare Phone Systems
Healthcare and insurance phone systems are notoriously complex. Medical offices typically have options for appointments, prescription refills, billing, and medical records. Insurance companies add options for claims, coverage verification, and prior authorization. Large health systems may have 10+ menu options before reaching a human. KallyAI navigates all of this automatically, including the increasingly common "Please state the reason for your call" voice prompts.
💬What to Say When Calling on Someone's Behalf
Expected Wait Times
Average wait: 15-45 minutes
Healthcare and insurance calls have some of the longest hold times of any industry. Medicare/Medicaid lines can exceed an hour during peak periods. Specialist offices average 15-20 minutes. Insurance claim departments often have 30+ minute waits. KallyAI handles all this hold time, freeing you to actually spend time with your loved one or handle other responsibilities.
🤖How KallyAI Supports Caregivers
KallyAI acts as your care coordination assistant. You describe the task — "Schedule mom's cardiology follow-up" or "Check if dad's prescription is ready" — and AI handles the entire call. It navigates phone trees, waits on hold, conducts the conversation, and reports back with a complete summary.
Pro Tips
📋 Keep a master document — Maintain a document with your care recipient's key information: DOB, insurance numbers, medication list, doctor names. This makes setting up KallyAI tasks faster.
🔐 Get authorized early — Ask healthcare providers to add you as an authorized contact. This makes future calls smoother. KallyAI can request this during calls.
📅 Batch your requests — Instead of one call at a time, queue up multiple tasks: pharmacy refill check, specialist appointment, insurance inquiry. KallyAI handles them sequentially while you do other things.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use KallyAI to call on behalf of my parent?
Yes. Many caregivers use KallyAI to make calls on behalf of elderly parents or dependents. You provide the necessary information (name, DOB, account details), and AI makes the call. For accounts requiring formal authorization, the AI can explain your relationship and any POA status.
What about HIPAA and medical privacy?
KallyAI handles calls professionally and follows standard verification procedures. For medical calls, having your parent's permission (and ideally being listed as an authorized contact) helps. KallyAI can request to be added to authorized contacts during calls.
Can KallyAI manage calls for someone with dementia?
Yes. KallyAI is particularly helpful when your care recipient can no longer manage their own calls. You handle the coordination, AI handles the phone calls, and your loved one is spared the confusion of complex phone conversations.
How do I track all the calls KallyAI makes?
Every call produces a detailed summary with outcomes, dates, reference numbers, and follow-up actions. Your complete call history is available in the app, creating a useful record for care coordination.