From the acquisition and expansion of One Medical to the introduction of drone delivery services for prescriptions, here are 12 moves Amazon made in 2023 to grow and develop its healthcare footprint.
One Medical
Amazon bought virtual and in-person primary care company One Medical for $3.9 billion in February.
The tech company sold discounted memberships for One Medical as part of the annual sales event in July.
Amazon began offering Prime members a discounted membership to One Medical in November. Members can access primary care through One Medical's on-demand virtual care platform at no cost beyond the membership and through in-person office visits at any of One Medical's locations across the United States.
One Medical formed a collaboration with Edison, N.J.-based Hackensack Meridian Health in November. This move allows specialists from Hackensack to deliver care to the primary care patients of the tech company.
A similar partnership was made earlier in November between One Medical and CommonSpirit Health's Virginia Mason Franciscan Health.
Other launches
Amazon launched Amazon Clinic, its virtual care platform, across all 50 states and the District of Columbia in August. The service, which was announced in November 2022, offers care for 30 common health conditions, such as urinary tract infection, pink eye and erectile dysfunction.
Amazon Pharmacy released RxPass, a $5 per month medication prescription service, in January. The subscription provides access to commonly prescribed generic medications for more than 80 common health conditions.
Technology
Houston Methodist introduced a pilot program in October that connects Amazon's Echo Dot with its Epic EHR system, allowing prescriptions placed within the system to trigger an audible notification in the pharmacy, alerting pharmacy personnel to prepare the medication.
Amazon Pharmacy launched a drone delivery service for customers in College Station, Texas, in October that is administered by Prime Air.
Amazon opened a $100 million generative artificial intelligence center in June. Generative AI could be used by healthcare and life sciences customers in drug research and discovery, the company noted in the announcement.
Closures and layoffs
Amazon shut down Halo, its health and fitness device line, on July 31.
Amazon conducted a layoff spree in an effort to eliminate 18,000 jobs throughout the organization, including its healthcare branches. The layoffs included 80 employees with Amazon Pharmacy, 159 people with Amazon Care and 236 employees with Care Medical.