Amazon Releases Its Healthcare AI, an Assistant that Answers Questions and Connects to Doctors

IBL News | New York

Amazon announced its Healthcare AI agent with free 24/7 access to virtual care for Prime members. This new virtual assistant answers questions, explains health records, manages prescription renewals, and books appointments. Previously, it was only available for One Medical members, the healthcare company Amazon acquired for $3.9 billion in 2023.

Health AI can answer general health questions without access to an individual’s medical information, but it’s primarily designed to serve as a personalized health assistant that offers tailored guidance and can connect users with healthcare professionals and treatments.

All interactions with Health AI happen within a HIPAA-compliant environment, and those conversations are protected by encryption and strict access controls.

With a user’s permission, Health AI gains access to their health information through the Health Information Exchange, the nationwide secure system for sharing patient medical data.

Health AI can then interpret lab results, diagnoses, and medical records to provide accurate, personalized answers about users’ symptoms and medication, Amazon says.

Health AI can connect users to a One Medical provider. Prime members in the U.S. using Health AI receive up to five free direct-message care consultations with a One Medical provider for over 30 common conditions, including cold and flu, allergies, acid reflux, pink eye, UTIs, erectile dysfunction, anti-aging skin care, hair loss, and more. Non-Prime members can connect with One Medical providers through Amazon’s pay-per-visit option.

Users can sign up for Health AI on the Amazon Health page. As Amazon expands access, users will receive an email when they can access the assistant.

Once users have access, they need to create an account or sign in to their personal Amazon Health profile. They can then start a conversation by typing their health question to Health AI on Amazon.com or in the Amazon app.

Users can ask questions like “Can you explain my recent cholesterol results and what they mean for me?” or “I’m feeling congested and have a sore throat. What should I do?”

Amazon’s expansion of Health AI comes as popular AI services have rapidly entered the healthcare space.

In January, OpenAI released ChatGPT Health, a version of its chatbot tailored to answer health questions.

A week later, Anthropic announced its own healthcare-focused product, Claude for Healthcare.