It may not come as a surprise that major tech players like Amazon and Google are now entering the healthcare industry given their growing influence in almost every sphere of life.
2019's Coordinated Healthcare Market technologies As our world becomes increasingly digital, electronic devices like smart speakers have the potential to simplify patient experiences.
Amazon's Alexa and Google Assistant are two of the products that tens of millions of Americans currently use. Physicians will be able to spend more time with their patients if these devices reduce the amount of time spent manually updating patient records.
By allowing patients to schedule appointments, get reminders, and get answers to specific medical questions, these technologies could also help healthcare systems save money. The estimated $3.5 trillion size of this market provides tech companies with a significant financial incentive to enter the healthcare sector.
Google's cloud services do, however, adhere to HIPAA. Amazon's Alexa will continue to have an advantage in the healthcare sector until Google ensures that its Assistant and Home speaker meet HIPAA requirements.
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Patients will want to know that businesses will be able to protect their information because products like Alexa store sensitive medical information. Before consumers are comfortable using these devices for medical purposes, Amazon will need to be transparent about how the devices protect patient information.
Amazon offers encryption capabilities and securely stores data in the Amazon cloud to safeguard sensitive patient information.
The Privacy and Security requirements of HIPAA must be adhered to by Alexa developers developing medical-related capabilities. This includes restricting access to patient information and using appropriate encryption. However, there are few checks in place to ensure that developers adhere to HIPAA regulations, so consumers should exercise caution.
Even though Alexa's HIPAA compliance was only recently announced, major US hospitals have already begun utilizing this device to improve patient experiences. This includes the Boston Children's Hospital and the Los Angeles-based Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. The installation of Amazon devices in hospital rooms by Cedars-Sinai has already begun. These devices will enable patients to communicate with hospital staff and complete other tasks, such as scheduling appointments.
Alexa is being used by the Boston Children's Hospital to coordinate information about available hospital beds and allow parents to ask questions about their children's health. It is highly likely that the next time we visit the doctor, we will interact with these devices because the use of electronic assistants is already evident.
US Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act: Amazon recently announced that it would allow developers to create healthcare capabilities for Alexa that are HIPAA-compliant. The US Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, also known as HIPAA, is a law that these developers must follow to protect patient information.
Patients will be able to access their medical records and examine the outcomes of specific tests through Alexa-developed applications. For instance, Livongo has developed a program that allows patients to use voice commands to access their blood sugar level readings. Additionally, Amazon has launched Comprehend Medical, a machine learning tool for analyzing patient health records and physician notes.
Google and other companies with electronic assistants have the potential to compete with Amazon in the healthcare industry; however, if they want to remain competitive, they will need to catch up with Amazon's HIPAA compliance.
The Google Assistant and its Home speakers are currently ineligible for use in healthcare settings and do not meet HIPAA guidelines, according to the HIPAA Journal.
