Definition
IVR (interactive voice response) is telephone technology that interacts with callers through prerecorded or synthesized prompts and keypad or spoken input, used to route calls, deliver information, and automate simple transactions.
Traditional IVR systems are menu trees: "press 1 for appointments, press 2 for billing." They run on inbound lines for routing and self-service, and on outbound calls to deliver notifications and collect a keypad response, such as confirming an appointment. Newer systems add speech recognition so callers can say what they want, but the flow is still a fixed, designed path.
Outbound IVR calls that play a prerecorded or synthesized message are artificial or prerecorded voice calls under the TCPA, with the consent, identification, and opt-out obligations that come with them. Their strengths are low cost and predictability for one-way notifications. Their limits show when a patient's answer does not fit the menu, when identity has to be verified before PHI is discussed, or when the call needs to reach a person.
How Consig handles it
Consig replaces IVR and robocall dialers with conversational calls that mix scripted and generative steps, verify the patient, and hand off to staff; see Consig vs. IVR and robocall dialers. Inbound call routing that replaces aging IVR systems is listed on the Solutions page as coming soon.