Amazon at ViVE highlights healthcare aims following One Medical …

Amazon executives said Tuesday they are excited to move forward in healthcare, despite the sector’s potential challenges. “Amazon comes at this with a lot of humility,” said Amazon Clinic’s chief medical officer and general manager Dr. Nworah Ayogu at ViVE, the digital health conference held in Nashville, Tennessee. “The company is no stranger to going into hard industries and making them better.

Twenty years ago in retail, it was not common to have two-day shipping or easy returns.”  Related: How Amazon built its healthcare strategy from Haven to One Medical The company has hired healthcare veterans such as Ayogu, who worked as CityBlock Health’s founding medical director, and Vice President of Healthcare Aaron Martin, formerly chief digital officer at Providence.

“We get healthcare, its intricacies and difficulties,” Ayogu said. Amazon has been persistent in its healthcare push even after a series of misses. The company’s joint healthcare-specific venture with J.P.

Morgan Chase and Berkshire Hathaway disbanded in January 2021. In August 2022, it shuttered its Amazon Care service, which contracted with employers and health plans to provide virtual care. In November 2022, the company pivoted to launch Amazon Clinic, a consumer-facing “virtual health storefront” connecting users with third-party telehealth providers, through which patients can access a variety of treatments aimed at skin conditions, sexual health and other clinical needs.

Ayogu, who took over Amazon Clinic after a stint at Amazon Pharmacy, said early returns have been positive. The platform, available in 33 states, works with three virtual care providers: HealthTap, SteadyMD and Alpha Medical. Similar to how Amazon has connected online shoppers with third-party retailers, Ayogu said he hopes the service will connect patients with more third-party doctors and organizations.

“We’ve gotten a lot of interest from a lot of telehealth companies … but at the same time, we’ve got a rigorous process that we have our partners go through before putting them on the platform,” Ayogu said. “We want to make sure they have high clinical quality and a customer experience that people have come to expect from Amazon.”  The company also finalized its acquisition of primary care provider One Medical in February after the Federal Trade Commission declined to block the deal.  Amazon Clinic, One Medical and Amazon Pharmacy are all part of the company’s overall healthcare strategy to make it easier for people to access care or medications, Ayogu said.

AWS addressing healthcare workforce 

Amazon Web Services, Amazon’s cloud computing subsidiary, is also trying to make inroads in healthcare, said David Levy, AWS’ vice president of healthcare, U.S. government and nonprofit businesses. 

At ViVE, the cloud provider announced the 23 startups participating in its accelerator centered on addressing healthcare workforce challenges. Over the course of five weeks, leaders at the 23 startups will learn how to refine their cloud architecture, business model and regulatory pathways.   “We hear from a lot of organizations that want help in developing their workforce,” Levy said. “We want to help support organizations in acquiring skills around the cloud and building with them to solve their problems.”

This is especially true as health systems switch from physical servers to the cloud. Levy said AWS works with healthcare providers and trains their employees on how to increase organizational efficiencies through the cloud. For instance, AWS worked with Carbondale, Illinois-based Southern Illinois Healthcare to build an automated, text-based survey mechanism providing leadership with actionable data to assess potential burnout.  

It’s part of AWS’ aim to work with healthcare organizations on a deeper level than just offering them a cloud platform, Levy said. The subsidiary formerly launched accelerators around health equity and care for people 65 and older.  “We put our customers first and we think about very carefully what it is they’re trying to accomplish,” Levy said. “We’re trying to help them accomplish that.”

Amazon Pharmacy

On Wednesday at the conference, Amazon Pharmacy announced a new feature where it will automatically apply eligible brand-name coupons to patients’ medication orders. 

Coupons will initially be made available for eight brand-name medications from four manufacturers including GSK, Kaleo, Novo Nordisk and Dexcom. Discounts range from £500 for a weight loss drug Wegovy to £200 for a smart glucose sensor.  Users filling eligible, name brand prescriptions will have manufacturer discount coupons automatically applied to their orders.

While the initial number of available coupons is modest, Amazon said it has plans to increase its coupon offerings by the Summer. “This is a starting point, with a focus on conditions with large unmet needs, including emphysema and obesity,” said Dr. Vin Gupta, Chief Medical Officer of Amazon Pharmacy via a statement. “We are motivated to continue to expand this program.”

The company said the coupons can expire anytime and without notice. Medicare and Medicaid recipients are not eligible.  In January, Amazon Pharmacy announced RxPass, a generic drug subscription service aimed at consumers with common conditions like high blood pressure, acid reflux or anxiety.

The medication delivery service costs £5 per month for Prime members.

The coupons cannot be used with RxPass, Amazon said. 

This story first appeared in Digital Health Business & Technology.

Tags:

lumin listed on couponmatrix.ukmarks-and-spencer listed on couponmatrix.ukoakley listed on couponmatrix.ukoffice-stationery listed on couponmatrix.ukspaseekers listed on couponmatrix.ukthe-glow-company listed on couponmatrix.uk
lumin listed on couponmatrix.ukMen—there’s no excuse for not taking care of your skin! From fine lines to fatigue, Lumin Skincare packs everything you need into one simple routine, and you can even get your first month for free. Whether you’re a skincare expert or don’t know your eye cream from your exfoliant, you’ll still benefit from Lumin’s science-backed ingredients like charcoal, green tea and ginger. Give it a try with a Lumin discount code for high-quality skincare at an affordable price and your best skin yet.
marks-and-spencer listed on couponmatrix.ukQuality is synonymous with Marks & Spencer. If you’re seeking essential items to last – whether it’s a coat, sofa or pair of boots – make your purchase at M&S and you’ll enjoy years of excellence. Invite the brand’s unique luxury into your life with a Marks & Spencer discount code and treat yourself to premium products for a fraction of the price, including renowned fashion brands like Phase Eight and French Connection, as well as own-brand M&S designs. At Groupon, we’ve rounded up all our favourite money-saving tips for M&S, including NHS and student discounts.
oakley listed on couponmatrix.ukVisit the Oakley website to explore the range of sunglasses, backpacks, clothing and more available for both men and women. Grab an Oakley promo code and save a small fortune on the cost of your purchase. With over 44 years experience in retail, Oakley has tried and tested all their products to perfection; goggles for mud and snow meet European Community directives for optical performance and every item has been designed with you in mind.
office-stationery listed on couponmatrix.ukWhether your office is in a skyscraper or a corner of your home, if there’s one thing that office managers know it’s that supplies are a pain! Thankfully, with an Office Stationery discount code, you’ll be able to find everything you need to keep your office running smoothly, at prices you’ll be happy to pay! With everything from top-quality posture chairs for a thousand employees to post-it notes for your 3-person team, you’ll love Office Stationery’s one-stop-shop approach for all your office needs.
spaseekers listed on couponmatrix.ukAdd a healthy dose of self-care to your to-do list and book a sublime spa break with the health and leisure experts at SpaSeekers. Whether you’re in desperate need of a weekend away with the girls or want to treat that certain special someone to a romantic package for two, a spa seekers discount code will help you pamper yourself to perfection. Escape from the daily grind with a soothing massage or champagne-fuelled jacuzzi session - book yourself into a SpaSeekers experience today!
the-glow-company listed on couponmatrix.ukShoppers with a The Glow Company coupon should be positively glowing, with savings to be made on a variety of lighting solutions and LED gadgets. The retailer has a wide range of unique lighting products, as well as gimmicks and gadgets that are designed to really light up the room. Groupon is teaming up with this innovative retailer to offer The Glow Company coupons. The Glow Company was set up to offer fun and quirky lighting and light-based products, whether they are for home decoration, for parties or just for fun. The company’s wide selection of products is truly unique, and allows customers to impress guests and customise their home. For example, funky light-up chairs are available, coming in all manner of colours, shapes and sizes. Those with The Glow Company coupon codes can also find quirky gadgets such as a neon jellyfish tank, a poorly dog cone lamp and a psychedelic projector with a colourful display. More conventional items such as night lights, string lighting, lava lamps and torches are also available, ensuring that everyone can find something to suit their needs. Are you looking for something fun and funky to liven up your living room? Or perhaps glow sticks for the kids, or glowing decorations for a party? You can find all manner of well-lit curiosities with a The Glow Company coupon. Take a look at the company’s Groupon page, and you could find The Glow Company coupon codes to help you save money.