Amazon‘s (NSDQ:AMZN) Alexa is now HIPAA compliant, according to a recent CNBC report.
The Seattle-based tech giant’s voice assistant is now cleared to work with hospitals and healthcare providers using protected health data and personal information, according to the report.
Despite the clearance, the device still can’t be used to aid an individual connect with a doctor or therapist, according to CNBC.
Digital health developers are concerned over privacy issues related to home voice assistants like Alexa and Google Home, fearing that there’s a risk that sensitive data will fall into the wrong hands, according to the report.
Amazon is focusing on nutrition coaching and tools that enable users to find nearby health services, as they have less potential for liability or abuse, CNBC reports.
Alexa users can currently ask the assistant for help finding doctors or to read blood glucose readings from associated diabetes monitoring tech, according to an earlier CNBC report.
The company is also working on enhancing the privacy associated with its Alexa assistant, building capabilities to identify user voices among multi-user households and Alexa-integrated ear buds, which would limit other individuals ability to eavesdrop, according to the report.
Last October, Amazon said that it would be offering select consumer-use medical device for diabetes and hypertension management.