Need First Aid? Ask Alexa with Mayo Clinic’s New Skill
It’s not quite like calling 911, but Mayo Clinic’s new Alexa skill gives Alexa users first-aid assistance. The skill is called “Mayo First-Aid” and provides information on first-aid topics, including care instructions and quick answers to common maladies. Mayo is quick to point out that its skill is not to be used in life-threatening situations. For instance, the skill will repeat multiple times that a user should call 911 if they ask about CPR but it will provide instructions on how to perform the procedure.
Alexa and Healthcare
In addition to CPR, one can see the value in providing hands-free medical instructions in other use cases. The Mayo Clinic skill also provides instructions for handling a baby’s fever or treating a burn. The hands-free communication Alexa and other voice assistants provide are rapidly being embraced by other healthcare organizations as well. This year WebMD made its content library available on Alexa and Boston Children’s has been testing Alexa skills to assist its medical staff, placing Amazon Echo devices throughout the hospital. The fact that these organizations, in addition to the prestigious Mayo Clinic, are adopting Alexa signal that voice assistants are more than just a consumer entity. They can be used to address more serious problems and help people when they need it most.
Boston Children’s Hospital Demonstrates the Potential of Alexa in Healthcare
