Retail e-commerce giant Amazon recently announced that Americans in all 50 states as well as Washington, D.C., can now access its virtual clinic. Amazon launched Amazon Clinic in November 2022 following its February purchase of healthcare provider One Medical with the aim of providing customers with direct access to third-party healthcare providers via its mobile app and website.
Customers can use either option to book online appointments and seek treatment for a myriad of common medical conditions, including hair loss, urinary tract infections, pink eye, asthma, seasonal allergies, high blood pressure and migraines. According to a recent statement from Amazon, its virtual clinic supports message consultations in 34 states and video telehealth consults in every state.
While the platform itself does not accept medical insurance, the third-party healthcare providers on the platform will likely prescribe medications covered by insurance. Amazon Clinic’s general manager and chief medical officer Nworah Ayogu said that Amazon’s goal is to dramatically increase access to healthcare and make it easier for their customers to stay healthy by providing easy and convenient ways for them to get medical care.
He added that customers will now be able to see the cost of using the virtual healthcare service before onboarding. This service will allow customers to compare prices and response times from different telehealth providers before making a choice.
Video calls and message-based consultations will also be available without insurance or appointment, Ayogu said, and customers can receive personalized treatment plans via Amazon Clinic’s secure video call or message portal. Furthermore, customers will have the freedom to choose between Amazon Pharmacy, which offers free shipping, or any other pharmacy to fulfill their medication prescriptions.
Amazon’s entry into healthcare wasn’t e-commerce’s first foray into the medical sector, but it definitely had more impact, opening the door for other e-commerce companies to expand into healthcare as well. Soon after Amazon, the largest online retailer on the globe, began expanding into healthcare, other large online retailers such as Walmart, Walgreens and CVS followed suit.
Amazon will also have to compete with the increasing number of urgent care clinics opening across the country amidst spiraling healthcare costs and month-long wait lists for doctor appointments.
Many online healthcare startups grew during the coronavirus pandemic when lockdown orders forced most industries, including America’s struggling healthcare sector, to go online. While the surge in telehealth-focused start-ups has cooled down, Amazon and other large online retailers are investing significant funds into their healthcare expansion.
Platforms such as NextPlat Corp. (NASDAQ: NXPL) (NASDAQ: NXPLW) are also expanding their foray into the healthcare space, a move that is likely to lure even more patients to online platforms offering healthcare products and services.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to NextPlat Corp. (NASDAQ: NXPL) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/NXPL
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