Alexa and HIPAA

 Skill directions in healthcare.  Requirements are interesting.

Amazon Opens Applications for HIPAA-Eligible Alexa Skills
 Eric Hal Schwartz on September 11, 2020 at 1:00 pm

Amazon is expanding its HIPAA-compliant Alexa skill program, a year after it first debuted. Any interested voice app developer may now apply for the special certification proving the skill complies with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and with Amazon’s standards for those skills. As applying voice technology to healthcare becomes more popular, offering a guide toward HIPAA compliance could help position Amazon as a leader in the space.

HIPAA Alexa
Amazon unveiled its HIPAA-compliance program over a year ago. Six voice apps and the Alexa platform were certified by the government as safe to collect and distribute Protected Health Information (PHI) appropriately. Talkspace, Boston Children’s Hospital, and the others were all invited to participate in the program, and until now, it has remained an invite-only program. At the time, Amazon painted the limits as necessary to test and improve how the program would operate, including the release of an Alexa Skills Kit specifically for healthcare. T Developers must explain why they want the certification, how they will get people to find and use it, and how it will offer a “compelling experience” for users. Just technically complying with all of the guidelines is not enough, and Amazon has made it clear that not every application will be approved, regardless of a developer’s technical ability.  ... " 

Alexa Launches HIPAA Compliant Med Skills

Have now worked analyzing sever health oriented data intelligence interactions.   Now Amazon/Alexa makes move with skills.  Restrictions in their application are interesting. 

Amazon Alexa Launches First HIPAA-Compliant Medical Skills 
In TechCrunch  By Sarah Perez

Amazon has announced a program under which it is inviting select voice-app developers to create and launch healthcare skills for its Alexa virtual assistant that are compliant with the U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Only select covered entities and business associates subject to HIPAA will be invited to the program, with Amazon itself providing the HIPAA-eligible environment for skill building. Accepted applicants will be allowed to use the Alexa Skills Kit, which currently supports skills that are able to transmit and receive protected health data. With the added skills, Alexa would be able to assist consumers in tasks like booking doctor appointments, accessing hospital post-discharge instructions, and checking on the status of prescription deliveries.  ... "