Photo: Alistair Berg/Getty Images
Amazon recently announced the introduction of pharmacy kiosks at One Medical offices in Los Angeles, prior to expansion in other areas.
Starting in December, Amazon Pharmacy Kiosks will be available at One Medical locations in the greater Los Angeles area, including downtown L.A., West L.A., Beverly Hills, Long Beach and West Hollywood.
Through the kiosks, after an One Medical appointment, patients can get medications filled automatically and immediately. The kiosks are not staffed, but a pharmacist is available virtually by video or phone.
Each kiosk is stocked with a curated inventory of medications tailored to the prescribing patterns of the specific office location, the company said.
Amazon Pharmacy said it applies manufacturer-sponsored coupons directly to eligible orders.
WHY THIS MATTERS
One Medical, which has an estimated 200 locations nationwide, is also expanding through partnerships with health systems.
As of 2024, One Medical reportedly had specialty care referral agreements with 19 health systems.
In July, Amazon One Medical entered a partnership with Hackensack Meridian Health to open two offices in New Jersey in early 2026, with more to follow.
Hackensack Meridian said in late 2023, “With a shared commitment to transforming healthcare, Hackensack Meridian Health, New Jersey’s largest and most comprehensive health network and One Medical, a leading national virtual and in-office primary care organization, will collaborate to deliver a new human-centered and technology-powered primary care option in New Jersey.”
Hackensack said one in four adults in the United States - and half of people under age 30 - do not have a primary care doctor.
“The collaboration will provide more primary care providers in New Jersey and will ensure that residents and employers have seamless coordinated care through One Medical’s innovative care model and Hackensack Meridian Health’s integrated network of exceptional providers, hospitals and facilities,” the health system said.
THE LARGER TREND
The integration of One Medical’s hybrid virtual and in-person primary care facilities to automated pharmacy fulfillment allows Amazon to expand into primary care without the high overhead costs such as staffing that has challenged similar efforts by other companies.
CVS, Walgreens, Walmart and others have invested heavily in the "retailization" of primary care with retail clinics, offering consumers the convenient experience they had found through using Amazon.
Walgreens sold many of its VillageMD clinics and gave up its primary care model before being acquired by Sycamore Partners in August.
Amazon acquired One Medical for $3.9 billion in 2023.
Last year, Amazon announced the repositioning of its healthcare offerings, rebranding and integrating Amazon Clinic into the One Medical platform. The One Medical Pay-per-visit telehealth service offers consumers a pay-per-visit model or a membership-based model.
Every year in the U.S., nearly one-third of prescriptions are never filled and half of medications for chronic conditions aren’t taken as prescribed, Amazon Pharmacy said. In the U.S., one in four neighborhoods are considered pharmacy deserts.
These statistics reflect billions of dollars in preventable healthcare costs.
ON THE RECORD
"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, 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."
Email the writer: SMorse@himss.org
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