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Amazon expands its foray into virtual medical services

Amazon expands its foray into virtual medical services
Russell Kidson

Russell Kidson

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Amazon is expanding its foothold in the private healthcare industry with a brand new service, Amazon Clinic. Amazon Clinic is a healthcare service poised to provide virtual care to inhabitants of 32 states in the US. Applicable users can expect to receive care for over 20 healthcare conditions, including, but not limited to, acne, allergies, and hair loss.

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Amazon started its journey into the incredibly lucrative personal healthcare industry with Amazon Pharmacy. This virtual pharmacy was launched on the 17th of November 2020. The digital service lets people order medication online. The medications will then be delivered directly to customers.

Having an Amazon Prime subscription means that deliveries would arrive within two working days. The only medication that Amazon Pharmacy does not support is anything on the schedule II list. 

Amazon believes that the new Amazon Clinic service will bring the company closer to fulfilling its dream of truly affordable and accessible healthcare.

‘We believe that improving both the occasional and ongoing engagement experience is necessary to making care dramatically better. We also believe that customers should have the agency to choose what works best for them. Amazon Clinic is just one of the ways we’re working to empower people to take control of their health by providing access to convenient, affordable care in partnership with trusted providers.’

Amazon expands to amazon clinic

Amazon has another initiative in the works that will sit alongside both Amazon Clinic and Amazon Pharmacy; the acquisition of One Medical. One Medical, also known as 1Life Inc., is a chain of primary healthcare clinics based in San Francisco. The company announced its intent to acquire the primary care chain in July 2022, stating that it had entered into a ‘definitive merger.’ 

What all of this means for the average individual is not yet clear. The assumption is that the acquisition of One Medical would mean that Amazon would be able to provide an even higher quality medical service to clients.

Amazon is making bigger and bolder moves in the personal healthcare industry. And, as we’ve seen from its other services, it has had major success providing access to all sorts of services and products at more competitive prices than other businesses in the various industries within which it operates. We can only assume that this latest move is going to further secure Amazon as a solid alternative to conventional virtual or digital healthcare services.

Russell Kidson

Russell Kidson

I hail from the awe-inspiring beauty of South Africa. Born and raised in Pretoria, I've always had a deep interest in local history, particularly conflicts, architecture, and our country's rich past of being a plaything for European aristocracy. 'Tis an attempt at humor. My interest in history has since translated into hours at a time researching everything from the many reasons the Titanic sank (really, it's a wonder she ever left Belfast) to why Minecraft is such a feat of human technological accomplishment. I am an avid video gamer (Sims 4 definitely counts as video gaming, I checked) and particularly enjoy playing the part of a relatively benign overlord in Minecraft. I enjoy the diverse experiences gaming offers the player. Within the space of a few hours, a player can go from having a career as an interior decorator in Sims, to training as an archer under Niruin in Skyrim. I believe video games have so much more to teach humanity about community, kindness, and loyalty, and I enjoy the opportunity to bring concepts of the like into literary pieces.

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