Morning Headlines 4/15/19

How elderly, sickly farmers are quenching China’s thirst for data

Private healthcare company WeDoctor sends medical vans to rural areas to perform mandatory exams on behalf of the Chinese government, enabling it to collect enormous amounts of patient data that it uses to train its AI-powered diagnostic engine.

Highmark IT solutions company sheds 239 workers

After adding over 1,000 employees in the last five years, Highmark’s HM Health Solutions IT company lays off 239 workers.

Amazon Alexa is luring health developers, but it will be a while before we use it to call a doctor

Despite Amazon Alexa’s newly announced HIPAA compliance, privacy concerns will compel it to take baby steps in developing skills that will enable patients to connect directly with physicians.

British doctor-on-demand app Babylon bulks up US team to seize slice of projected $400bn market

After announcing last fall that it would spend $100 million to ramp up its hiring for its London-based operations, telemedicine company Babylon Health plans to more than double staffing for its US and Canadian operations.