# Caller recognition

> Caller recognition gives returning patients a familiar welcome and a quicker start to their call.

Type: Capability (Callers & records)
Last reviewed: 3 October 2026
Web page: https://www.intavia.ai/docs/caller-recognition

## At a glance

- What it does: Recognises returning callers from their number and welcomes them
- Channels: Inbound calls, with additional channels available
- Integrations: Your practice management system, such as Cliniko
- What you can customise: Whether callers are greeted by name, when the calling number is used and what is confirmed next
- What your team sees: A summary and outcome for every call, with tasks for anything that needs a person
- Setup: Done for you by our team, around your practice system and phone lines

## How it works

Our team connects caller recognition to your practice system and agrees with you how returning callers are welcomed. It runs at the start of each phone call where the number is available.

1. Plan: we agree with you how returning callers are greeted and when the calling number can be used.
2. Match: as the call connects, Intavia looks up the calling number in your practice system. For some systems, such as Cliniko, an index of patient numbers is refreshed regularly so this is quick.
3. Welcome: where you've chosen a personal greeting and the number matches one patient, the caller is greeted by first name. Otherwise they hear your usual welcome.
4. Shared numbers: when a number belongs to more than one patient, such as a family phone, the caller is asked for their name rather than the receptionist guessing.
5. Check: a recognised number is a starting point, not proof. Before personal details are shared or appointments changed, the caller confirms the number is theirs and gives a detail such as their date of birth.
6. Corrections: if the greeting names the wrong person, the caller can say so and the call carries on as usual.

## Options

These are the options we agree with you, not fixed settings. Each one can be shaped around how your practice works, and anything not listed here can be built into the plan.

| Option | What we agree with you |
| --- | --- |
| Personal greeting | Whether returning callers are greeted by first name or with your usual welcome |
| Calling number | Whether the number a patient calls from can be used to find their record, or callers give their number instead, for example when calls come through a switchboard |
| Numbers set aside | Numbers that shouldn't be used to recognise a caller, such as shared or internal lines |
| Confirmation | Which details confirm identity once a caller is recognised, such as date of birth |

## Works together with

- [Identity verification](https://www.intavia.ai/docs/identity-verification): Identity confirmed before personal details are shared, including for people calling on someone's behalf.
- [Patient continuity](https://www.intavia.ai/docs/patient-continuity): Context from appointments and treatment plans, including booking with the same clinician.
- [PMS & booking system integration](https://www.intavia.ai/integrations): Live information from your practice system and appointments handled directly in it.
- [24/7 call answering](https://www.intavia.ai/capabilities/call-answering): Inbound calls answered with a natural conversation, day or night.
- [New patient registration](https://www.intavia.ai/docs/new-patient-registration): New patients registered and booked in one call.
- [Natural conversation](https://www.intavia.ai/docs/natural-conversation): Warm, responsive calls that cope with interruptions, corrections and background voices.

## FAQs

### Does recognising a number mean the caller is verified?

No. A phone can be shared or borrowed, so the number is only used to find a likely record. The caller still confirms who they are before personal details are shared or anything is changed.

### What if a patient calls from a different number?

They're asked for the number registered with your practice, or another detail you've agreed, and the call carries on as normal. Nothing from the record is revealed until they've confirmed who they are.

### What about callers who withhold their number?

They're asked for their phone number instead, and it's read back to them before it's used.

### What happens when a new patient calls?

A number that isn't in your practice system gets your usual welcome. New patients can then register and book.