Amazon starts virtual health referral service linking patients to doctors

AMAZON.COM is starting a health referral service that seeks to link patients to virtual visits with providers who treat conditions like acne, hair loss and allergies.

The initiative, called Amazon Clinic, is the Seattle company’s latest effort to break into health care. It already operates an online pharmacy, and is in the process of buying 1Life Healthcare, which manages clinics under the One Medical brand, for US$3.49 billion.

In a blog post announcing the service on Tuesday (Nov 15), Amazon called the new clinic a “virtual health storefront,” connecting patients to “award-winning telehealth providers.” The post didn’t name those partners.

The offering will be initially available in 32 US states and doesn’t yet accept insurance, Amazon said.

Patients select their condition, choose a provider from a list, and complete an intake questionnaire. From there, they connect directly to the provider through a “message-based portal.”

The marketplace model is a new direction for Amazon in health care. The company tried through Amazon Care to offer medical services itself, hiring and directing nurses and other medical professionals, but that initiative is being wound down. BLOOMBERG