Amazon and Teladoc Health have teamed up to make telemedicine available on some Alexa devices.
In a recently published press release, telemedicine company Teladoc Health announced a “first-of-its-kind experience” that lets users get generalized healthcare services through an Alexa-powered device, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The feature, developed in collaboration with Amazon, allows people to have audio chats with a medical professional.
What are the supported devices?
Supported Echo devices include the Echo, Echo Dot, and Echo Show. Video visits are “coming soon,” according to Teladoc.
How do users access the telehealth service?
Users access the telehealth service by telling Alexa, “Alexa, I want to talk to a doctor” and the assistant will connect them to Teladoc’s customer support centre. A Teladoc doctor then will call the user back to assist with non-emergency medical needs such as cold and flu symptoms, allergies, and more.
Is there a cost to the service?
Teladoc says the consultations are “as low as” free with insurance; for those uninsured, the cost is $75.
What is the benefit of this virtual health feature?
Although understandably limited to basic illnesses, the virtual health feature makes getting medical advice more accessible for many disabled people. For those who have limited mobility and/or are immunocompromised (and thus more susceptible to Covid), the ability to ask Alexa to get medical care can be a lifesaver in more ways than one. What’s more, at a technological level, that Amazon is partnering with Teladoc for this initiative is yet another illustration that virtual assistants have far more practical, genuinely useful skills than mere trivia or asking for the weather. In this context, Alexa can bring medical care to you if you can’t go get it outside the home.
When is Teladoc available?
The Teladoc integration is available now.
