Healthcare’s Phone Problem: How to Rebuild Consumer Trust in the Age of Scam Calls

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is transforming industries, including healthcare. Its ability to both generate and analyze content supports providers in diagnostics and treatment decisions, advances medical research, and empowers patients to better understand their conditions.

Yet, this potential comes with significant security risks. The healthcare sector, sensitive to data privacy, HIPAA regulations, and intellectual property, faces growing threats from misinformation, cyberattacks, fraud, and deepfakes. Fraudsters often exploit the sector via phone scams, creating a disconnect: patients recognize the importance of calls in managing their care but hesitate to answer due to fear of scams. In just the first quarter of last year, Americans lost over $16 million to healthcare fraud, largely via phone calls. The FCC notes that fraud spikes during health insurance enrollment periods, when scammers attempt to steal money and personal information through calls and texts.

Robocalls and spam calls have surged across all industries, with many linked to scammers. For example, last April alone saw over 4.4 billion robocalls in the U.S.—about 147 million a day—up from March.

Why is healthcare such a target? Consumers tend to trust calls from providers, making it easier for attackers to steal data, file false insurance claims, commit identity theft, or sell information on the black market. Common schemes include impersonating Medicare or Medicaid representatives to extract personal data or payments, often using caller ID spoofing to appear legitimate.

Consumers clearly want stronger protections against unwanted calls and scams. New technologies enable healthcare providers and other businesses to make phone calls more trustworthy. These solutions display the business’s verified name, logo, and a clear reason for the call—such as “Appointment Reminder,” “Refill Reminder,” or “Patient Callback”—providing reassurance and encouraging patients to answer.

By implementing verified, branded calls with end-to-end authentication, healthcare organizations can safeguard communication, ease patient concerns, and show they value patient security as much as their health. As technology and security challenges evolve, these measures help keep the phone a trusted, reliable channel for patient care.