Amazon Alexa to now help in health care; store BP measurement, book medical appointment, check prescription delivery

Amazon announced that its Alexa-enabled devices can now handle customers' sensitive medical data. A new kit will allow approved developers to build Alexa skills that have access to the health data, Wired reports.

U.S: It might not be exactly private, but certainly helpful. You will now be able to ask Alexa to pull out important data from your health records.

Amazon announced that its Alexa-enabled devices can now handle customers' sensitive medical data. A new kit will allow approved developers to build Alexa skills that have access to the health data, Wired reports.

In the U.S the developers are inventing with voice to build helpful and convenient experiences for their customers. These new skills are designed to help customers manage a variety of healthcare needs at home simply using voice – whether it's booking a medical appointment, accessing hospital post-discharge instructions, checking on the status of a prescription delivery, and more.

Also Read: Radiologists find new use of Amazon Alexa, Google Home during Medical Procedures

The new healthcare skills launched in the US with tie up with other organisation include:

• Express Scripts (a leading Pharmacy Services Organization): Members can check the status of a home delivery prescription and can request Alexa notifications when their prescription orders are shipped.


• Cigna Health Today (by Cigna, the global health service company): Eligible employees with one of Cigna's large national accounts can now manage their health improvement goals and increase opportunities for earning personalized wellness incentives.


• My Children's Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) (by Boston Children's Hospital, a leading children's hospital): Parents and caregivers of children in the ERAS program at Boston Children's Hospital can provide their care teams updates on recovery progress and receive information regarding their post-op appointments.


• Swedish Health Connect (by Providence St. Joseph Health, a healthcare system with 51 hospitals across 7 states and 829 clinics): Customers can find an urgent care centre near them and schedule a same-day appointment.


• Atrium Health (a healthcare system with more than 40 hospitals and 900 care locations throughout North and South Carolina and Georgia): Customers in North and South Carolina can find an urgent care location near them and schedule a same-day appointment.


• Livongo (a leading consumer digital health company that creates new and different experiences for people with chronic conditions): Members can query their last blood sugar reading, blood sugar measurement trends, and receive insights and Health Nudges that are personalized to them.

The new skills allow Alexa to relay and store blood sugar measurements from internet-connected monitoring devices, schedule doctors' appointments, pass on post-op instructions from hospitals, and provide prescription delivery updates by securely accessing customers' private medical information.

Also Read: Amazon wants Alexa to soon be your in-house doctor