NEW YORK — Amazon announced its healthcare service, Amazon Care, is now available to customers nationwide -- and the company will expand its in-person services to 20 new cities this year.
The expansion is due to increased demand by a growing customer base, the company said in its announcement.
"Amazon Care launched in September 2019 to bring the most patient-centric health care to customers when and where they need it," Amazon said in its announcement. "Amazon Care combines the best of virtual care and in-person services, and as more and more organizations look for convenient, comprehensive, high-quality health care solutions, we’re seeing growing demand and excitement for Amazon Care’s unique hybrid care offering."
Amazon said its healthcare service is "uniquely positioned to fill a critical gap in the healthcare system because it combines the best of virtual care with a new approach to in-person care."
It says the COVID-19 pandemic led to an increased demand to bring health care to patients' homes, and Amazon Care fills that need.
"The combination (of virtual and in-person services) allows patients to receive a wider range of care, from on-demand primary care to chronic care management, in the comfort of their home," Amazon said. "Care Medical doctors and nurses across the country are dedicated to treating Amazon Care customers, so patients are able to build lasting relationships with their health care providers over time."
Amazon Care in-person services are already available in Arlington, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Dallas, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Washington D.C. This year, the company will expand in-person care to 20 new cities, including major metropolitan areas like San Francisco, Miami, Chicago, and New York.
With a patient satisfaction rating of 4.7 out of 5, Amazon Care is becoming the partner of choice for organizations looking to advance workplace benefits, the company said. New customers including Silicon Labs, TrueBlue, and Whole Foods Market have joined the lineup of companies offering Amazon Care to their employees nationwide.
The companies said three key differentiators stood out: Amazon Care’s comprehensive solution; on-demand access to high-quality clinicians through Care Medical, Amazon Care’s clinical services provider; and a seamless patient experience.
“Patients are tired of a health care system that doesn't put them first," said Kriston Helton, director of Amazon Care, in the announcement. "Our patient-centric service is changing that, one visit at a time. We’ve brought our on-demand urgent and primary care services to patients nationwide. As we grow the service, we’ll continue to work with our customers to address their needs."
Amazon Care provides immediate access to a wide range of urgent and primary care services, including COVID-19 and flu testing, vaccinations, treatment of illnesses and injuries, preventive care, sexual health, and prescription requests and refills, the company said.
When issues can’t be resolved over video, Amazon Care will dispatch a nurse practitioner to a patient’s home for additional care where in-person care is available, ranging from routine blood draws to listening to a patient’s lungs.
