Amazon has expanded Health AI to its website and app, widening access to the healthcare assistant.
The assistant, called Health AI, was previously only available on the app for One Medical, the healthcare company Amazon acquired for US$3.9bn in 2023.
Health AI can answer questions, explain health records, manage prescription renewals, book appointments and more.
Users do not need to be Prime subscribers or One Medical members to use the assistant, Amazon said.
Amazon said that while Health AI can answer general health questions without access to an individual’s medical information, it is designed to serve as a personalised health assistant that can offer more tailored guidance and take actions, such as connecting users with healthcare professionals and treatments.
There are risks associated with sharing health information with AI, and researchers have warned against doing so, cautioning that companies may use user conversations for training.
Amazon said in its announcement that it trains “Health AI models on abstracted patterns without directly identifying information.”
For example, the company said that if multiple patients ask about medication interactions, it might use those patterns, while keeping patient names private, to improve how Health AI responds to similar questions.
Amazon also said that all interactions with Health AI happen within a HIPAA-compliant environment, and that conversations are protected by “encryption and strict access controls.”
However, the company did not explain exactly how conversations are encrypted or who has access to them.
With a user’s permission, Health AI gets access to their health information through the Health Information Exchange, which is a nationwide secure system for sharing patient medical data.
Amazon said Health AI can then interpret lab results, diagnoses and medical records to provide accurate, personalised answers about symptoms and medication.
If professional care is needed, Health AI can connect users to a One Medical provider.
Prime members in the US using Health AI receive up to five free direct-message care consultations with a One Medical provider for more than 30 common conditions.
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 once they are able to use the assistant.
Once users have access, they need to create or sign in to their personal Amazon Health profile.
They can then start a conversation by typing a health question into Health AI on Amazon.com or in the Amazon app.
Amazon’s expansion of Health AI comes as AI services have moved quickly into 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.
