In short
Generic voice AI agents lead with agentic, LLM-driven conversation, and that suits open-ended, low-risk calls. Patient outreach also needs the parts around the conversation: getting the call answered, verifying the patient, running disclosures and opt-outs as exact scripted steps, enforcing consent and state rules, and handing off to staff. Consig mixes deterministic and generative stages and includes all of those parts.
At a glance
| Capability | Voice AI agents | Consig |
|---|---|---|
| Automated calls | Yes | Yes |
| Hand-off to live agents | No | Yes |
| Agentic or deterministic flow | Agentic | Both |
| Number / reputation management | No | Yes |
| Authentication / identity | No | Yes |
| Compliance monitoring | No | Yes |
| Disclosures, consent and opt-outs | Usually handled by the model in conversation | Can run as scripted, deterministic steps |
| Identity data in the AI and transcript | Depends on the build | Kept out by a Zero Knowledge Network |
Why isn't a great conversation enough on a patient call?
Most platforms lead with their voice AI features and treat telephony as an afterthought. The demo is seductive, but when it is time to deploy, the wheels fall off. On a patient call, the conversation is only one of four steps: connect, authenticate, engage, and hand off. The steps on either side of the conversation are where most programs fail.
A call that is labeled "Spam Likely" never reaches the agent. A call that discusses health information before verifying who answered is a HIPAA problem. And a call that cannot transfer to a nurse when an answer needs clinical judgment leaves the patient stranded.
What is the dilemma with fully agentic calls?
Open-ended conversation is voice AI's strength, and in some contexts it is a flaw. Required disclosures, consent capture, and opt-out handling have to be said and recorded exactly, every time. A model that paraphrases a disclosure, or misses an opt-out phrased in an unusual way, creates compliance exposure at machine scale.
Consig's workflows mix scripted, deterministic stages with generative ones, and generative AI runs only where it has been approved. Context firewalls keep sensitive data out of the model's reach. See The dilemma at the heart of every AI patient call and deterministic vs. generative voice AI.
Does AI change the TCPA rules?
It tightens them. The FCC has ruled that AI-generated voices count as "artificial" under the TCPA, so AI calls carry the same consent obligations as robocalls, on top of HIPAA and a growing set of state AI disclosure laws. A voice AI agent that does not track those rules per call leaves that job to you. Consig's compliance engine tracks federal, state, and local policies and flags risky steps while you build a workflow. See One Call, Three Rulebooks.
When a generic voice AI agent is the better fit
- Your calls are low-risk and open-ended, with no PHI and no regulated disclosures.
- You already have telephony, deliverability, identity, and compliance handled elsewhere.
- You mainly need inbound conversational answering rather than outbound patient outreach.
When Consig is the better fit
- Calls are outbound to patients and must actually get answered.
- Some steps must be exact every time (disclosures, consent, opt-outs, identity checks).
- Patients need a warm handoff to staff when an answer needs judgment.
- You need HIPAA, TCPA, and state AI rules enforced on every call.
Frequently asked questions
Does Consig use generative AI?
Yes. Consig voice agents use LLMs to handle open-ended and tricky responses, and they work alongside fully deterministic flows. Generative AI runs only in the stages where it has been approved, behind context firewalls that keep sensitive data out of the model.
Can a voice AI agent be HIPAA compliant on its own?
Compliance depends on the whole call, not just the model. That means a signed BAA, verifying the patient before PHI is discussed, keeping identity data out of transcripts, and enforcing consent and calling rules. Consig covers each of those. See security & compliance.
What happens when a patient needs a person?
Consig hands the call off to the right staff member or AI agent through major call center and UC systems, with the call's data attached, or schedules a callback. Handoff is a built-in step of every Consig call. See warm handoff.