What AI Learned from 738,000 Patient Conversations w/ Dennis Steele

In this episode of The Dr. Randi Show, Dr. Randi Boyette sits down with Dennis Steele, co-founder of Podium, to unpack what more than 738,000 real patient conversations reveal about how med spa and aesthetic clinic patients search, decide, and book today. Dennis explains why response speed has become the single biggest driver of conversion, how Podium's AI patient coordinator Avery has evolved from a simple chatbot into an agentic AI that books appointments and manages schedules on its own, and why OpenAI singled out Podium's work for turning AI into measurable revenue.

The conversation also looks ahead to Podium's Operator agent, which can audit pricing, rebuild a week's schedule, and rebook patients automatically — and makes the case that clinics investing in a true AI operating system, not just an add-on chatbot, are the ones positioned to meet a new generation of instant-gratification patient expectations.

Key takeaways

• Podium's AI has handled more than 738,000 patient conversations and booked over 75,000 appointments, and response speed is the number one factor in whether a patient chooses a clinic.

• Gen Z patients have tripled across Podium's aesthetic practices over the last five to six years, driving demand for instant, 24/7 answers before they ever contact a clinic.

• Clinics using Podium's AI have seen a 30 percent lift in revenue and a 45 percent increase in conversion, which is why OpenAI spotlighted Podium's agentic approach to AI.