ADHS COVID-19 Hotline: Hang Up and Go Away


While researching a post from yesterday, I had the great misfortune of calling the ADHS COVID-19 "Hotline" at 844-542-8201. I was trying to ask if there is a residency requirement in Arizona for getting the vaccine.  The experience left my head spinning and my blood pressure elevated. 

I would like to think this system was not designed to frustrate callers to the point of giving up, but it sure seems that way. Whether it was or not, the overall message it sends it is: Hang up and go away!

What Happens

When you call you are treated to many announcements about how there are no appointments available, what to do if you're 75 or older and having trouble getting vaccinated, links where you can go on the web to find out this or that.  All this information is repeated.  

Next comes a bunch of announcements about what information you cannot get on this line, which is substantial.  No information about test results or appointments or information about availability at test locations. No complaints or reports. No information on other things related to COVID-19.  

At the 1:30 mark, you finally get the chance to make some choices.  You can choose (1) get information about symptoms, (2) prevent the spread of COVID-19, (3) had close contact with someone who had it, (4) questions about the vaccine.  I chose four because I an still trying to find out if there is a residency requirement in Arizona. 

After that choice I'm told I can visit the CDC website and am read the link.   Next I am told that Arizona has a plan for distributing vaccine, and an read a link for that.  I'm told that I can make an appointment and read a link for that.  Next it repeats information I heard at the beginning of the call about how to get help if I'm over 75, and am told to go back to the main menu to do that.  

I am four minutes into the call. If I'm a health care provider and want to distribute the vaccine go to this link, which is read. If I have received the vaccine and have questions about side effects, I can press 5 to speak to a specialist.  

There! I press 5 and guess what? I am not routed to a human question-answerer but back to some other menu. From the sounds of the information being recited, I'm back at the main menu, from whence I came.

Commentary

Whoever is responsible for this system should recognize that people—most likely old people—call a voice system like this because that's the only way they know how to get information. Yet the goal of this system is very clearly getting callers to hang up and go get information on the web. 

But what if I'm 85 and don't know how to use the web?  Then can I press on, getting more run-around until finally there is a glimmer of hope that I can talk to a human. Then just in case I'm not yet discouraged enough to give up, my hope is dashed.  I press that option, only to be plunked down in some other random cell in the voice jail, hearing a new link recital.

The system is literally useless for anything except identifying places on the web where I can get information. But if I'm a web user I already know how to do that without making a phone call. I struggle for words to describe how messed up this is. "Shitshow" and "fiasco" seem too mild.


Image by Merry Christmas from Pixabay   


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