STAFF REPORTNorth Country This Week

Kinney Drugs is reducing use of its artificial intelligence assistant after customers reported problems with the system.

Kinney operates stores in Canton, Ogdensburg, Potsdam Massena and Gouverneur in St. Lawrence County.

The pharmacy chain will return to its previous phone system for incoming patient calls, President John Marraffa said in an interview on www.wcax.com/

In October Marrafa announced the AI assistant was named after company founder and pharmacist Burt Orrin Kinney, who opened the first Kinney Drugs in Gouverneur in 1903.

When people use Ask Burt, they are tapping into a knowledge base that carries the latest updated guidance for vaccine eligibility for a range of vaccinations, including COVID, influenza (Flu), Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), pneumonia, and shingles, said a press release from the company. As vaccine guidance continues to evolve, Burt helps patients to stay up to date, Kinney Drugs said when the tool was first announced.

“We are thrilled to introduce this new tool to help people find out which vaccines they may be eligible for,” Marraffa said at the time. “We know that many factors go into determining who is eligible for which vaccines, and at what times. In this way, perhaps people can have some fun with learning, as there’s an interactive, engaging element to this.”

However, it appears the use of the tool will be greatly reduced going forward.

In July, VTDigger.org reported that customers were having problems with the system, including privacy concerns, incorrect medication dosage information and missed prescription notifications. 

According to reports, Kinney will continue using Burt for prescription refill texts, on an “opt-in” basis.

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