Amazon is expanding its virtual healthcare clinic to all 50 U.S. states, the online retail giant … [+]
Amazon is expanding its virtual healthcare clinic to all 50 U.S. states, the online retail giant said Tuesday.
The virtual clinic, which launched last November, is a marketplace that “makes it easy for customers to quickly get the care they need for more than 30 common health concerns like urinary tract infections, pink eye, and erectile dysfunction,” the company said. The service links customers to “licensed clinicians” who have contracts with Amazon to provide the virtual care.
“With Amazon Clinic, customers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. can receive convenient, affordable, and trusted care from the comfort of home,” Amazon said in its announcement. “In addition to message-based consultations in 34 states, Amazon Clinic now supports video visits nationwide. Amazon Clinic offers customers 24/7 access to clinicians directly through Amazon.com and the Amazon mobile app.”
The expansion of the virtual clinic comes just months after Amazon closed its $3.9 billion acquisition of One Medical, which gave the retail giant entrée into local community healthcare systems for in-person healthcare services.
Across the country, One Medical operates more than 220 primary care offices in more than 28 U.S. markets. The sites include One Medical primary care offices, senior health offices specific for patients covered by Medicare, direct primary care clinics and primary care offices for specific employee populations, the company says.
Amazon’s push into healthcare comes as more established rivals CVS Health, Walgreens and Walmart spend billions of dollars adding healthcare services to their stores, including doctor-staffed clinics and home care.
Amazon says its healthcare ventures are increasing access to healthcare and providing more transparency and convenience.
“Amazon Clinic removes barriers by helping customers treat their everyday health concerns wherever they are, at any time of day,” Amazon said. “And, they can see the cost before they start the visit.”
The expansion of virtual care and the One Medical deal, which closed in February, could help Amazon’s small but growing healthcare business gain referrals and relationships from more medical care providers. It could also help Amazon gain more relationships with prescribing physicians needed to boost prescriptions for Amazon’s growing Amazon Pharmacy business, which the retailer entered with its 2018 acquisition of PillPack.
