Clearwater, Fla.-based BayCare Health System is deploying Amazon Alexa devices in 2,500 rooms across its 14 hospitals.
Six details:
1. Before implementing the tech systemwide, BayCare is piloting it at St. Joseph's Hospital-North in Lutz, Fla.
2. The health system has also deployed the devices at St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa and Winter Haven (Fla.) Hospital in 2019 before rolling it out at St. Joseph's Hospital-North in late 2020.
3. BayCare anticipates to have the tech in place across its entire system by the end of 2021. The devices can connect patients with their care team and control devices such as the TV via voice command.
4. BayCare uses a healthcare-specific platform called Aiva to manage patient requests, which are sent to the correct support person based on what a patient tells Aiva via an Alexa device installed in their room.
5. Care team members then receive patients' requests on their BayCare iPhone, which is used specifically for these types of communications, according to BayCare Innovation Director Craig Anderson.
"The patient can simply ask Alexa for things they need like a blanket or a glass of water," he said in the Jan. 5 news release. "Aiva interprets all those requests and sends it to right person. It is a seamless connection between the patient and their care team."
6. The Aiva tech using Alexa in BayCare's hospital rooms also lets patients play music, ask for the news, information, weather and sports updates. If a patient prefers not to use Alexa, they can mute the device.