Amazon has launched Amazon Clinic, a message-based virtual care service that connects customers with virtual care options on demand for more than 20 common health conditions, such as allergies, acne, and hair loss. According to a blog post by Niworah Ayogu, MD, the clinic's chief medical officer and general manager, the initiative is a way "to empower people to take control of their health by providing access to convenient, affordable care in partnership with trusted providers." Customers can choose from a network of telehealth providers that have been vetted by clinical quality and customer experience evaluations from Amazon’s clinical leadership team.

To get started, customers select their condition, then choose their preferred provider from a list of licensed telehealth providers. Next, they complete a short intake questionnaire. Customers and clinicians then directly connect through a secure message-based portal. After the message-based consultation, the clinician sends a personalized treatment plan via the portal, including any necessary prescriptions to the customer’s preferred pharmacy. Amazon will let a customer know if they think a condition isn't right for virtual care before a provider is contacted.

The clinic does not yet accept insurance, but any prescribed medications can be paid for by an individual's insurance. For now, the clinic is targeted at consumers 18-64 who are not beneficiaries of government-payer programs like Medicare or Medicaid, though this may change in the future.

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