ALEXA. " I need to see a doctor "
That request is not so far fetched, and will probably be the reality very soon. The hardware and technology have come together exponentially in the past two years. The use of the internet, voice recognition, machine learning, poor access to health care in rural areas, combining with telehealth combining with consumer demand assure the success of this method of medical care for many consumers.
Combining this with secure medical records and pharmaceutical records, Amazon will also offer prescription ordering and renewals, all charged to your Amazon rewards card.
Imagine an American woman named Jenna Miller. After a day spent nose taken, she decides in the evening to take care of herself. She opens the Amazon Care application on her phone and clicks on "online chat with a nurse". On the other side of the screen, the caregiver is assisted by Health Navigator, software to aid in the diagnosis and orientation of patients using artificial intelligence. The nurse concluded that she had sinusitis and advised Ms. Miller to see a doctor within 24 hours. The next morning, the patient opted for a "video consultation", still through Amazon Care.
Patients will have a choice of Smart Speaker, as long as it uses Amazon's Alexa. There are multiple manufacturers in the market, some with video capability which would simplify telehealth in one device.
Popular Smart Speakers
From a distance, the doctor prescribes an antibiotic and accompanying treatment. The oral exchange is transcribed in writing by the Transcribe voice recognition software. Then entered in the patient's file, stored online by the AWS host.
In the evening, Ms. Miller receives her medication, delivered by the Pillpack company, at home. The next morning, on the Echo connected speaker in her kitchen, the voice assistant Alexa reminds her to take her pills. The cost of care is borne by Haven Health, the health insurer of Jenna Miller's employer.
The common point between the services mentioned in this fiction is that they all belong to Amazon. The champion of e-commerce is however better known for the sale of books, clothing or electronic devices than as a player in health. After revolutionizing commerce, could Jeff Bezos' business shake up our access to medical care?
"Digital entry door"
It is not yet as advanced as the use case invented for Ms. Miller suggests: Amazon Care is currently only offered to Amazon employees based at the company's American headquarters, Seattle (Washington State).
This is a powerhouse of backers, from J.P. Morgan, Berkshire Hathaway (Warren Buffet) and Jeff Bezos (Amazon). For the time being the pilot program is limited to Amazon employees.
The British Health Service (N.H.K.) has also thrown its hat into the ring as a user.
"Alexa I'm in pain": the British public health service calls on Amazon
" Alexa, what are the symptoms of the flu?" : The British government has announced that its citizens can now find out from the NHS public health service through smart speakers produced by Amazon.
Now we can add an MD icon
Speaking aloud to these speakers, users will be able to ask questions, considered simple by the medical profession, such as: " Alexa, how do I treat a migraine?" "Or" Alexa, what are the symptoms of chickenpox? Amazon's algorithm will respond to it via voice assistant Alexa after doing its research on the NHS website.
" It's just an alternative mechanism for accessing medically certified NHS information on various medical conditions instead of information from US sites or other sources, " said a spokesman for the Department of Health. But he will not provide " any form of diagnosis or advice, " he insisted.
" This kind of technology is a great example of how people can get reliable advice (...) from the NHS from the comfort of their own homes, thereby reducing the pressure on our doctors and pharmacists, " said in a statement. Health Minister Matt Hancock, saying it would be particularly helpful for the blind and elderly.
This new service provided by the American technology giant must relieve NHS staff, overworked and tired of bad medical advice that proliferates online.
Amazon discreetly launches into health:
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