Amazon hopes to hire someone who is knowledgeable about HIPAA requirements, according to a post on the company website.

The ad is for a HIPAA compliance lead. 

It calls for five or more years of HIPAA experience in an enterprise setting and seven or more years of experience in an information technology setting, with exposure to software development and/or software auditing.

[Also: Wait! What? Amazon and Apple eye building EHRs]

This job posting is the latest hint that Amazon is looking to get a foothold in the healthcare sector. But what part of healthcare precisely? There has been speculation and some indications the company might be interested in the pharmacy business.

The pharma speculation was floated back in August last year when Goldman Sachs painted a scenario highlighting Amazon’s potential to speed up the drug delivery process. It would not be unlike what Amazon did with books – and the other products subsequently available on its website, the investment firm said. Also, Amazon could build its own online pharmacy, the investment firm reflected on possibilities.

[Also: Amazon misses deadline, sparks pharma speculation]

However, in months that followed, Amazon seemed to have dropped the pharmacy idea. CNBC reported in December 2017 on Amazon stumble in obtaining Maine licenses. Applications in Maine were canceled by the state, citing the reason as incompleteness.

Amazon might be looking to enter another part of the healthcare sector with its Alexa voice assistant to health care.

Amazon hired Missy Krasner last summer. She is considered an expert in health policy, worked with David Brailer, MD, the first National Coordinator for Healthcare IT, back in 2004 and later joined cloud storage company Box.

[Also: WebMD integrates with Amazon Alexa to answer questions about health]

Then there’s Amazon’s not-so-secret lab 1492 in Seattle where engineers are reportedly working on both hardware and software projects.

But other requirements for the new Amazon position might offer some clues. From Amazon’s job description, the successful candidate:

• Understands OIG compliance standards and HIPAA/HITECH requirements.
• Understands HIPAA security and privacy requirements, and how those requirements map to security standards such as ISO 27001, SOC 1/2/3, NIST 800-53 and others.
• Experience with business intelligence and analytics tools such as Tableau.

Whichever direction Amazon takes as it moves into healthcare, it’s going to need at least a basic expertise in HIPAA rules and regulations. 

Twitter: @Bernie_HITN
Email the writer: bernie.monegain@himssmedia.com