Voice Assistants in Healthcare: The Patient's Perception

Abstract

The significant rise of voice assistants in the last years is revolutionizing our daily lives. The “voice input” enables users to operate and control the device in many new ways. For this reason, a study was conducted in Swiss hospitals to explore the potential utilization of a voice assistant in the healthcare sector. This study examines the usage of voice assistants at hospitals and summarizes the findings of the theory. Furthermore, it also analyses risks and challenges. With this condensed information, a survey was carried out. The perception of patients regarding voice assistants has been taken into consideration as well as their concerns towards privacy, data protection, and device security were clarified. Legal requirements using such devices and the acceptance by the patients were also examined. Lastly, recommendations of possible utilization areas of the voice assistants are stated.