When I arrived in Austria as an international student, I expected that most of my challenges would come from my still-developing German skills (aber ich lerne es!). And ofc as it always happens after a few months of my arrival, I needed to see a doctor.
But to my surprise, the real problem wasn’t finding a doctor.It was booking the appointment.
Most clinics required a phone call. And most receptionists spoke only German. After four failed calls, I finally found a local doctor who could help and book an appointment. Lucky me!
But when I spoke to other international students, I realized this wasn’t just my problem:
“After a few calls, I gave up and asked my Austrian friend to call.” – Orlaith, 22, Ireland
“I accidentally booked a vaccination instead of a check-up.” – Younes, 23, Algeria
“Yes, I booked the appointment… but it took 40 minutes!” – Elske, 30, Netherlands
This process is frustrating for everyone involved: patients feel confused and helpless, and clinics lose time (and possibly clients) and money
So I started wondering:
- What if booking an appointment didn’t require fluent German?
- How could this process be simpler and less stressful?
- Could we implement ideas from other countries’ systems?
Most websites in my country offer virtual assistance or a chatbot on messengers. So, what if I develop a chatbot that works in both German and English? It would guide international patients step by step, collect necessary details, and ease the burden on receptionists without requiring extra staff or app downloads.
More in the next post…
