Amazon's Alexa is jumping into the health care world.
The company announced Thursday that its signature voice assistant will now be able to manage certain personal health information under HIPAA compliance rules.
HIPAA is the nation's health privacy law, and it protects patients' sensitive medical data.
Amazon says it's partnered with six health care providers, allowing them to build voice programs that can safely transfer health information on Alexa-enabled devices.
Users will be able to complete tasks like checking prescription delivery status, providing medical updates and scheduling appointments at nearby urgent care centers.
The companies include well-known providers, like Express Scripts, Boston Children's Hospital and Atrium Health.
The move is part of Amazon's growing influence over the health domain. The online retail giant acquired online pharmacy PillPack last year as a way to venture into the prescription drug market.
Amazon says it expects to add other companies to the service in the future.
