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| Amazon announces Alexa for the healthcare system |
Amazon has announced two new plans to integrate Alexa into hospitals and retirement homes, powered by Alexa Smart Properties, which allow businesses to take control of their Alexa central system.
Alexa Smart Properties are specifically designed to meet the needs of senior communities and healthcare facilities while simplifying the provisioning and end-to-end management of Alexa-enabled devices, providing residents and patients with a personalized Alexa experience, and improving healthcare productivity and operational efficiency teams.
“At the beginning of the pandemic, the hospital and community elders called us and asked for help building Alexa in the community,” said Leron Torres, director of Alexa Smart Properties.
Hospitals want a way to interact with patients without using protective equipment. The Senior Citizens Association hopes to connect residents with family members and employees.
The plan will allow seniors in hospitals and shared apartments to use Echo devices to send advertisements or other information to residents' rooms.
During the coronavirus pandemic, many facilities rely on printed paper provided by residents' doors to report protocol changes such as meals or quarantines.
Alexa enables them to instantly send messages to the service. Torres said employees may be more willing to take on other duties.
Residents can also call family or friends via Alexa without having to rely on staff.
Verified contacts can also be contacted via Alexa. The property can contact a range of contacts approved by residents and family members upon arrival.
According to Amazon, two large community networks, Atria and Eskaton, are adding Alexa to some fixtures. The company declined to disclose the expected cost of these facilities.
Organizations can send advertisements to neighborhoods
In the hospital, Alexa Smart Properties software allows nurses to use intercom to communicate with patients without having to enter the ward.
With the entry feature, patients can ask questions or nurses can check someone's feelings.
This will allow the hospital to increase productivity and provide medical supplies, Torres said. Hospitals can also send information and announcements to patients through Alexa.
Patients can switch to "do not disturb" mode, Torres said. Amazon says Cedars-Sinai International Medical Center
In Los Angeles, Baycare Florida Health System, Boston Children's Hospital and Houston Methodist are adding Alexa to their facilities.