Dr. Alexa Will Hear You Now

How Voice Technology Is Changing Healthcare

Executive Summary

Though still in the early stages of adoption, voice-activated technology presents exciting opportunities for healthcare and pharma organizations. But as they seek to engage their audiences in more personalized and frictionless ways, they must also ensure data is kept private and secure.

  • Why is the healthcare industry so interested in voice? The use of voice assistants powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and voice-activated devices is exploding in the US and around the world. These technologies have the potential to improve the healthcare system and change the way healthcare brands, providers and patients interact.
  • Who is exploring voice tech for health-related purposes? Organizations in and around the healthcare industry are starting to experiment with voice tech. They include care facilities and other healthcare providers, healthcare agencies, researchers, pharmaceutical companies, nonprofit organizations, payers, large tech companies and startups.
  • What are healthcare organizations doing with voice tech? Voice applications can provide information and awareness about health conditions, locate facilities, enhance patient-provider communications, encourage medication adherence, foster brand loyalty and potentially drive better medical outcomes.
  • What are the challenges to implementing voice tech in healthcare? In addition to getting people to trust and use it, the biggest challenges involve privacy and security. All applications that involve sharing protected health information (PHI) are subject to applicable government regulations, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). Most of today’s voice assistants are not yet compliant.

WHAT’S IN THIS REPORT? This report explores the use of voice-activated and voice-first technology in the healthcare industry. It also discusses the ways voice applications can benefit patients, providers and healthcare brands.

KEY STAT: More than six in 10 consumers who use voice search for health-related topics are seeking information about symptoms and treatments. Nearly the same number look for information about doctors, hospitals and clinics.

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12expert perspectives

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Table of Contents

  1. Executive Summary
  2. The Rise of Voice-Activated Health
  3. Consumers Warm to Voice Search for Health
  4. Healthcare Players Explore Voice
  1. What’s Holding Voice Back?
  2. Getting Started with Voice
  3. Key Takeaways
  4. eMarketer Interviews
  1. Read Next
  2. Sources
  3. Media Gallery

Interviewed for This Report

Heidi Culbertson
Marvee
CEO
Interviewed October 18, 2018
Matt Cybulsky
Ionia
Chief Project Manager and Consultant
Interviewed October 12, 2018
Ian Essling
Comscore Inc.
Director, Survey Insights
Interviewed November 9, 2018
Teri Fisher, MD
Voice First Health
Founder and Host
Interviewed October 6, 2018
Michael Fitzpatrick
PullString
President and COO
Interviewed October 8, 2018
Ben Greenberg
WebMD
Vice President, Product Management and User Experience
Interviewed October 17, 2018
Sara Holoubek
Luminary Labs
CEO
Interviewed October 15, 2018
Carrie Liken
Yext
Head of Industry, Healthcare
Interviewed October 11, 2018
Josef Sperzel
MullenLowe Mediahub
Vice President Director, SEO
Interviewed October 17, 2018
Beth Strohbusch
Orbita
Senior Vice President, Marketing
Interviewed October 8, 2018
Nathan Treloar
Orbita
President and COO
Interviewed October 8, 2018
Jennifer Warner
Mayo Clinic Global Business Solutions
Senior Editor
Interviewed October 16, 2018

authors

Victoria Petrock

Contributors

Caroline Cakebread
Junior Analyst
Chris Keating
Director, Research
Peter Vahle
Forecasting Analyst

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