By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    bowl of vegetable salad
    Raw Foods: benefits and harms
    November 9, 2021
    pros and cons of the keto diet
    Read This Before You Follow the Keto Diet
    May 18, 2022
    spinal cord injuries
    4 Potential Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries (and How to Seek Compensation)
    May 25, 2022
    Latest News
    Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
    May 16, 2025
    Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
    May 16, 2025
    Choosing the Right Supplement Manufacturer for Your Brand
    May 1, 2025
    Engineering Temporary Hospitals for Extreme Weather
    April 24, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Video: The Future of Medicine in Nigeria Depends on Radiology
    December 10, 2015
    A Guide to Implementing an Effective Healthcare Solution
    November 27, 2013
    4 Simple Steps For Solving The Real Cause Of Your Depression
    July 18, 2019
    Latest News
    Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
    May 18, 2025
    The Critical Role of Healthcare in Personal Injury Recovery: A Comprehensive Guide for Victims
    May 14, 2025
    The Backbone of Successful Trials: Clinical Data Management
    April 28, 2025
    Advancing Your Healthcare Career through Education and Specialization
    April 16, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Amazon Echo for healthcare
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > eHealth > Amazon Echo for healthcare
eHealth

Amazon Echo for healthcare

DavidEWilliams
Last updated: December 11, 2017 8:35 pm
DavidEWilliams
Share
4 Min Read
SHARE
 

Alexa, what can you do for healthcare?

 

Alexa, what can you do for healthcare?

I bought an Amazon Echo this week and have been enjoying using it in the kitchen. I can ask, “Alexa, what time is it in Germany?” and it will tell me. Or I can say, “Alexa, play music by the Beatles,” or ask, “Alexa, how many ounces in a cup?” and it will let me know. It’s remarkably easy –and not at all frustrating– to use. The whole family is enjoying it. Naturally I started almost immediately to think of healthcare uses, so I wasn’t at all surprised to pick up the Boston Globe yesterday and see that my friends from Boston Children’s Hospital are a step or two ahead. Chief Innovation Officer John Brownstein, PhD and clinical innovation director Michael Docktor, MD have launched a KidsMD app for the platform and are testing out uses for Echo in the OR, ICU and bedroom. Although the article lays out some of the potential for Echo, overall I find it too dismissive, highlighting a software glitch, voice recognition problem, and asserting that “another layer of technology might frustrate staff.” The article ends with a quote from a Children’s engineer whose own kids aren’t interested in speaking with Alexa. None of this reflects my family’s experience. What the article misses is that Echo represents the latest example of physicians bringing cutting edge consumer technology into the hospital and running circles around the standard tools offered by the IT department. In the real world, physicians are early and enthusiastic adopters of tools like the iPad and iPhone, and through the bring your own device (BYOD) movement they have upended the traditional, clunky hospital IT environment. Here are some thoughts about what could make Echo so useful for healthcare:

  • It’s the rare tool that can be used equally well by doctors and patients
  • It’s a handsfree device, which makes it easy to use when one’s hands are occupied, dirty, or injured
  • The voice recognition is really good, and works just fine in a noisy environment
  • It enables continuity of care because a patient could use the same device at home that was used at the hospital
  • It gets smarter all the time as new intelligence and apps are added to the cloud
  • It can entertain as well as inform

I can foresee apps that help patients remember their customized care instructions, “Alexa, how often am I supposed to change my dressing?” or “Alexa, am I supposed to take my medication with food?” I also think it will be useful for hospitalized patients who are trying to remember questions they want answered the next time their doctor or nurse comes around. There is a built in ability to say, “Alexa, add butter to my shopping list.” So there’s no reason it couldn’t compile a list of doctor questions as well. These are the veritable tip of the iceberg, and I look forward to seeing a thousand (or more) flowers bloom as the healthcare field embraces Echo. “Alexa, I love you.”

Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Clinical Expertise
Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
Health care
May 18, 2025
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Health
May 15, 2025
Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
Health
May 15, 2025
Dr. Klaus Rentrop Shares Acute Myocardial Infarction heart treatment
Dr. Klaus Rentrop Shares Acute Myocardial Infarction
Cardiology
May 13, 2025

You Might also Like

New Alzheimer’s Care Site Promotes Community

May 12, 2011
Latent Autoimmune Diabetes: Getting The Word Out
eHealthSpecialties

Latent Autoimmune Diabetes: Getting The Word Out

April 7, 2018

Could Drones Deliver Life-Saving Defibrillators for Heart Attack Victims?

September 10, 2013
Image
Social Media

Social Media, mHealth and Medicine: 2012 in Review and Hopes for the Future

December 9, 2012
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?