In recent years, Amazon has steadily expanded its exclusive perks for Prime members, ranging from swift delivery to access to specialized services. Today, the company unveiled its latest Prime addition: access to primary care services through its One Medical platform for a mere $9 per month.
One Medical offers round-the-clock virtual care, expedited assistance for common ailments like cold symptoms and skin problems, and same- or next-day remote or in-person appointments at One Medical primary care offices. Notably, virtual care users won’t face any additional charges, as the entire service is covered within the membership fee. Alternatively, patients preferring in-office visits can utilize insurance or pay out of pocket.
While One Medical typically caters to the general public for $199, Prime members can now avail it for $99 annually, with the option to include additional members for $66 each.
Amazon’s acquisition of One Medical last year in a deal worth almost $3.9 billion underscores the retail behemoth’s significant interest in the healthcare delivery business and primary care. This interest is well-founded, as research consistently emphasizes the considerable value that primary care contributes to communities and overall patient well-being.
A study in JAMA Internal Medicine revealed that greater primary care physician availability correlated with improved mortality outcomes. Specifically, the findings demonstrated that each additional 10 primary care physicians per 100,000 people led to a 51.5-day increase in life expectancy and a reduction in mortality.
Other studies have similarly underscored that investing in primary care yields the most significant improvements in community health outcomes and aids in managing chronic conditions.
Unfortunately, research findings don’t always align with practical feasibility. The Association of American Medical Colleges has indicated that the demand for primary care far outstrips the supply. The organization predicts a shortage of primary care physicians ranging between 21,400 and 55,200 by 2033, indicating that certain communities and populations will face severely limited access to primary care services.
Several potential reasons contribute to this scarcity. Notably, primary care is one of the most demanding fields of medicine, with primary care physicians often expected to oversee chronic conditions, act as the central point of coordination across various layers of specialty care, and grapple with mounting administrative burdens.
While these issues are well-documented, enhancing meaningful access to care poses significant challenges. Retail giants have recognized this dilemma and are thus keen to enter this industry. Several notable examples include CVS, which has significantly bolstered its investment in its walk-in clinic service, MinuteClinic; Walgreens, rapidly expanding its Village Medical Primary Care service; and Walmart Health, swiftly broadening its national footprint. Undoubtedly, the growth in this domain has been remarkable.
Amazon’s One Medical aims to scale its services by incorporating a customer-friendly model, leveraging disruptive technology, and ensuring affordability, as it vigorously pursues its ambitions in this arena. Moreover, in tandem with Amazon Pharmacy and Amazon Clinic, the e-commerce titan is gradually establishing an end-to-end healthcare ecosystem for patients.
Undeniably, this competition to provide primary care services throughout the retail landscape can substantially enhance access to care. Particularly with the increasing accessibility of virtual care offerings, patients can now receive care as long as they have high-speed internet access, extending benefits to rural communities and populations.
While time will reveal how this industry and the overall state of primary care evolve, one thing remains certain: with innovative market disruptors, there are significant opportunities to positively impact the lives of millions of patients.
