Some Hospitals Are Taking Amazon Health Seriously. Should You?

Numerous companies that have been hugely successful in various aspects of the retail business keep trying to get a foothold in healthcare. The most notorious example would probably be Walmart, which has launched unsuccessful ventures in both the brick-and-mortar and virtual spaces. The latter is now of greater interest than ever to Amazon Clinic, which launched in November 2022 but just recently became accessible to patients in every U.S. state. This initiative may have a greater chance for success than previous forays by retailers in the eyes of some hospital leaders. As reported by Becker’s Health IT, one thing that sets Amazon apart is the fact that their expertise in marketing and delivering their wares online is unsurpassed, giving them a leg up on retailers that were relatively late to the digital marketplace. Others quoted in the article suggest that the company’s lack of healthcare acumen may be too tall a hurdle to clear and that Amazon should try partnering with established healthcare systems instead of trying to take them on as a competitor. Whether its Amazon Clinic’s as-yet unproved services or other telehealth options providers, this may be a good time for urgent care operators to revisit their own ability to compete in the virtual health marketplace. Read Competing for Patients in a Digitally Connected World in the JUCM archive for some tips.