Amazon Alexa is now HIPAA-compliant

In a much-anticipated move, Amazon’s Alexa is now HIPAA-compliant, which means that it can share patient information securely. Amazon said yesterday its Alexa Skills Set, a cloud-based service used to build voice tools, will allow health care companies to build software that can securely transmit private patient information. At the same time, six such voice programs built by large health businesses ranging from Boston Children’s Hospital to the insurance giant Cigna were also launched. The new tools allow patients to use Alexa to access personalized information such as progress updates after surgery, prescription delivery notifications, and the locations of nearby urgent care centers.