Amazon has recently launched a virtual medical clinic to treat various conditions such as allergic reactions, hair loss and skin complications. Through this message-based health service, people can now be connected to certified medical practitioners who can examine, treat and even prescribe medications for a variety of health and lifestyle issues. The announcement was made on Tuesday morning via an Amazon blog post. Amazon Clinic has partnered with third-party telehealth providers, such as SteadyMD and HealthTap, powered by Wheel, to offer virtual consultation services. Consumers can expect to see prices for care and an estimated response time. Furthermore, Amazon Clinic has teamed up with Amazon Pharmacy, so that any medications prescribed by the Clinic can be quickly filled and delivered. Unfortunately, at this time, Amazon Clinic is only cash pay and does not accept insurance.
At the HLTh 2022 conference on Tuesday, Nworah Ayogu, M.D., Amazon’s Chief Medical Officer, spoke about Amazon Clinic, saying that the online retail giant is leveraging its competency in connecting customers to the products and services they want. “We’re connecting customers to providers who provide care,” Ayogu explained. “It’s a win-win. We’re playing matchmaker and building a great customer experience.” Aaron Martin, Amazon’s Vice President of Healthcare, added that the company’s online marketplace typically features products and services from third-party vendors. “I think you’ll probably see the same approach when it comes to healthcare,” Martin said. “We’ll be partnering with others to allow customers to discover and access innovative new technologies that could help them.”
Amazon has been making strides in healthcare over the last few years, with the launch of its virtual health service the latest in the company’s moves. In August 2020, it announced that its hybrid health service Amazon Care, which offered virtual urgent care and primary care services for employees and their families, would be closing at the end of the year. The pilot program had originally launched in 2019 in the Seattle region, and quickly expanded its telehealth services to all 50 states, as well as offering in-person services in major metro areas. Additionally, the company bought online pharmacy PillPack in 2018, which later became Amazon Pharmacy.
Nworah Ayogu, M.D., Amazon Clinic’s Chief Medical Officer and General Manager, has announced that the service will be available 24/7 through Amazon.com and the Amazon mobile app, providing virtual care for more than 20 common health conditions in 32 states. Ayogu in a blog post referred to the new service as a “health care store” and noted that “we believe that improving both the occasional and ongoing engagement experience is necessary to making care dramatically better.”
