Amazon seeks to expand its telehealth footprint

Amazon seeks to expand its telehealth footprint

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The technology giant is expanding Amazon Care – which currently provides its Washington-based employees with access to virtual and face-to-face healthcare services – for its workers across the country. And it plans to offer the service to other companies as a labor benefit for its own employees.

Amazon (AMZN) says the program has followed a “successful launch” for tens of thousands of Washington workers 18 months ago.
“By providing Amazon Care as a benefit to the workplace, employers are investing in the health and well-being of their most important asset: their employees,” Amazon said in a statement on Wednesday.

Amazon Care offers workers on-demand access to virtual chats or video visits with medical providers who can provide Covid’s illness or injury treatment, tests and flu vaccines, nutrition advice, pre-pregnancy planning and a variety of other services . Your doctors can order prescription drugs, which are delivered to patients’ homes by Amazon. The program also offers personal visits by providers to workers’ homes for additional services, such as blood collection.

“The program’s secure, HIPAA-compliant service also allows employees and their dependents to see the same dedicated teams of medical professionals, which creates long-term relationships that benefit overall health,” said Amazon, adding that an app for the service is available to give employees easy access.

Beginning on Wednesday, Amazon Care’s full range of services will be available to employees of other Washington-based companies. This summer, virtual services will be available to employees of Amazon and other companies across the country. Amazon also plans to expand the offer of personal visits to Washington DC, Baltimore, Maryland and other cities in the coming months.

The extended benefit for its own employees comes as Amazon faces an analysis of working conditions in its warehouses amid an ongoing union election in Bessemer, Alabama.
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Amazon is in discussions with several companies over the use of Amazon Care, according to a spokesman, who did not reveal the names of any potential customers. The spokesman also declined to provide details on how much it will cost other companies to provide the service to their employees.

This is the technology giant’s latest effort to increase its presence in the multi-billion dollar healthcare sector. In 2018, Amazon purchased the Pill Pack from a digital drugstore startup for $ 700 million and, last year, officially launched Amazon Pharmacy, which delivers prescriptions to customers’ homes and offers extra benefits for Prime members.

More virtual service

The move to expand Amazon Care follows a telemedicine boom during the pandemic – research firm Gartner estimates that in 2023, virtual interactions will exceed face-to-face healthcare visits.

Amazon’s entry into the space is likely to concern other digital healthcare providers. The day after Amazon’s announcement, I am fine (AMWL) the stock fell almost 8% and Teladoc (TDOC) the shares fell 2%. The broader market fell across Thursday, with technology stocks in particular being sold
Amazon’s health ambitions have not always worked. In 2018, it partnered with JPMorgan Chase and Berkshire Hathaway to form Haven, a company that aims to provide better health services and insurance coverage at a lower cost to workers at the three companies – and potentially to other U.S. companies. The venture closed earlier this year after struggling to make inroads with companies in addition to the founding firms.

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