AWS launches new AI agent platform for healthcare
What's the story
Amazon Web Services (AWS) has launched a new artificial intelligence (AI) platform, dubbed Amazon Connect Health. The innovative tool is designed to help healthcare organizations automate repetitive administrative tasks such as appointment scheduling, documentation and patient verification. The platform is HIPAA-eligible and integrates with electronic health record (EHR) software, making it a valuable addition to the healthcare industry.
Platform features
The platform integrates with existing clinician software
Amazon Connect Health has partnered with EHR software providers, data integrators, and patient engagement companies. The platform works with existing clinician software to manage administrative workflows of healthcare providers. These include tasks like reviewing medical histories, medical coding, and clinical documentation. Currently, the platform offers features like patient verification and ambient documentation while appointment scheduling and patient insights are still in preview mode.
Cost details
Pricing and future features
Amazon Connect Health is priced at $99 per month per user for up to 600 encounters a month. AWS said most primary care physicians have up to 300 encounters a month. The company has also revealed plans to introduce medical coding and other features to customers in the future, further expanding the platform's capabilities.
Past initiatives
Amazon's previous initiatives in the healthcare sector
Amazon's foray into the healthcare sector isn't new. In 2018, it launched Amazon Comprehend Medical, a HIPAA-eligible natural language processor for unstructured medical data. The company also launched Amazon HealthLake in 2021 and HealthOmics, a bioinformatics workflow, in 2022. These initiatives show Amazon's long-term commitment to revolutionizing the healthcare industry through technology.
Strategic moves
Acquisitions in the healthcare sector
Outside its cloud business, Amazon has made some major acquisitions in the healthcare sector. In 2018, it acquired online pharmacy PillPack for about $1 billion and primary care company One Medical in 2022 for $3.9 billion. The retail giant has since integrated parts of these businesses into its larger retail and brick-and-mortar operations, offering services like same-day prescription delivery and virtual doctor visits for kids.