On Oct. 25, Amazon announced via a press release two new solutions as part of Alexa Smart Properties that will enable senior living and healthcare providers to integrate Alexa into their properties.
The release states that “Designed specifically for the needs of senior living communities and healthcare facilities, Alexa Smart Properties simplifies deploying and managing Alexa-enabled devices at scale, helping properties offer customized Alexa experiences for residents and patients, and increase care team productivity and operational efficiency.”
The release explains that Alexa Smart Properties enables residents in senior living to keep in touch with their loved ones and connect with their community by using the Amazing Echo device in their room. Administrators can tailor resident experiences by customizing community information like activity schedules or meal menus. Additionally, care team members can communicate more effectively using Alexa communication features to make announcements or send direct audio messages.
Moreover, Alexa Smart Properties allows for patients in hospitals to communicate with their care staff, control devices in their room or even stay entertained with news and music. “Healthcare providers can communicate with patients quickly and easily with features like calling and Drop In—without the need to enter patient rooms,” the release states. “This enables hospitals to increase productivity, conserve medical supplies and protective equipment, such as masks, gloves, and gowns, and free up staff time to provide more personalized care.”
The release adds that hospitals can also provide information customized to their facility like schedule notifications or cafeteria menus. Health systems including Boston Children’s Hospital, Cedars-Sinai, BayCare, and Houston Methodist are adopting Alexa Smart Properties to help care for their patients more efficiently.
The release concludes that “Alexa Smart Properties senior living and healthcare solutions were designed with privacy in mind. No personal information is shared with Alexa to use the device, and voice recordings are not saved. Every Amazon Echo device offers multiple layers of privacy protection, and residents and patients can disable Alexa’s ability to respond to the wake word at any time by simply pressing the mute button on top of their Echo device. Amazon implements administrative, technical, and physical safeguards for protected health information received as part of HIPAA-eligible skill interactions.”
Starting next month, Alexa Smart Properties will support senior living and healthcare solutions in the U.S.
