Amazon’s latest bid to disrupt the healthcare market in the US will see the introduction later this year of electronic kiosks at One Medical sites that will be able to dispense common medications.
The vending machines will start to roll out in Los Angeles in December and carry a range of drugs like antibiotics, asthma inhalers, and high blood pressure therapies, with hundreds of products that will be tailored to the prescribing patterns of each specific office location. A wider rollout of the network will take place in 2026.
According to Amazon, they will help patients get medications immediately after appointments and reduce the risk that they won’t actually get their medicine. After getting a prescription, patients can choose to have it sent to Amazon Pharmacy for in-office kiosk pickup, with medications “typically ready in minutes.”
It’s the latest stage in a push by the e-commerce giant into health that gathered momentum in 2022 when it acquired One Medical, which provides virtual and in-person primary care services using a subscription fee model.
In recent years, it has also started operating an online pharmacy business – now integrated even more closely with One Medical – as well as a low-cost subscription service for generic medicines, and health monitoring programmes. The encroachment into health has thrown down the gauntlet to more established players in telehealth like Teladoc, Amwell, and MDLIVE.
In its launch announcement, Amazon cited figures showing that nearly a third of prescriptions are never filled in the US, while half of medicines for chronic conditions are not taken as prescribed, saying that kiosks can help to overcome those problems.
The scheme will also help to address the issue of ‘pharmacy deserts’ in the US, which the company said are seen in a quarter of all neighbourhoods and also act as an impediment to better health outcomes and preventable health care costs.
“We know that when patients have to make an extra trip to the pharmacy after seeing their doctor, many prescriptions never get filled,” said Hannah McClellan, vice president of operations at Amazon Pharmacy.
“By bringing the pharmacy directly to the point of care, we’re removing a critical barrier and helping patients start their treatment when it matters most – right away.”
In September, Amazon said that its online pharmacy business has helped customers save more than $100 million on prescription medications by automatically applying manufacturer-sponsored coupons directly to eligible orders.
