Amazon recently launched a feature for its Alexa voice assistant that lets users search for places to get a COVID-19 test, CNBC reports. 

University of California Irvine established a new innovation institute focused on personalizing the healthcare model with consumer technologies including wearables and mobile phones.

Albert Chan, MD, chief of digital patient experience at Sutter Health, credits the Sacramento, Calif.-based health system's widespread collaboration efforts to rapidly scale virtual care as one of the IT achievements he has been most proud of during the pandemic.

Zane Burke, former CEO of Livongo Health and president of Cerner, has joined the board of directors for workers compensation digital health company Bardavon Health Innovations, according to a Feb. 3 news release. 

Pittsburgh-based UPMC Enterprises, the innovation and commercialization arm of UPMC, has incubated and launched a digital healthcare quality company that uses natural language processing and data analytics to improve value-based care. 

Zocdoc will provide the main platform Chicago residents use to schedule their COVID-19 vaccinations, the company announced Feb. 2.

Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente is working with IT services company Accenture and Microsoft to transition to the tech giant's Azure cloud platform, according to a Feb. 3 news release.

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated innovation at hospitals across the country by forcing them to adopt new, digitally focused ways of delivering care, paving the way for further tech-enabled improvements after the pandemic subsides.

Amazon introduced the design plans for its new second headquarters in Arlington, Va., on Feb. 2, signaling the retail giant's commitment to office workspaces, the Wall Street Journal reports.

The Department of Veterans Affairs inked a partnership with AT&T to roll out 5G technologies across the VA Puget Sound Health Care System in Seattle, according to a Feb. 2 news release. 

Google Cloud on Feb. 1 began offering healthcare organizations its new Intelligent Vaccine Impact Solution, which is a digital toolset that delivers data insights on COVID-19 vaccine distribution efforts.

Indianapolis-based payer Anthem recently established a new digital incubator focused on helping healthcare startups expand their business plans and innovations, according to a Jan. 28 Inside Indiana Business report.

The Chicago-based ARC Innovation Center at Sheba Medical Center on Jan. 27 selected DeepScribe, an artificial intelligence-powered medical documentation company, as the winner of its innovation challenge.

One of the reasons Lisa Prasad, vice president and chief innovation officer at Detroit-based Henry Ford Health System, enjoys her job is that it presents "limitless" opportunities, with new challenges constantly emerging.

Salesforce rolled out its new Vaccine Cloud technology Jan. 27 to help healthcare and government organizations manage inventory, logistics and other critical components of their COVID-19 vaccine programs. 

Baltimore-based LifeBridge Health is partnering with Healthworx, the innovation and investment arm of CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, to launch a new incubator for startup companies developing healthcare technologies and innovations.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has paved the way for expansions in telehealth and other digital health technologies, some hospitals and health systems have still run into big roadblocks when it comes to innovation initiatives.

Here are seven recent partnerships between healthcare organizations and big tech companies including Amazon, Apple and Google. 

Sara Vaezy, the chief digital strategy and business development officer at Renton, Wash.-based Providence, was and continues to be a key innovation leader in the health system's collaborative and ongoing pandemic response efforts.

Cleveland Clinic will launch a new infectious disease research center through the new $500 million Cleveland Innovation District backed by the state of Ohio and JobsOhio.