AMAZON LAUNCHES EMPLOYEE HEALTHCARE PROGRAM "AMAZON CARE"

Amazon's telehealth / telemedicine employee healthcare program, Amazon Care, is now fully activated

The program is available only to Amazon corporate headquarters (Seattle, WA) employees and their dependents. The success of its launch plus care and cost effectiveness may predicate whether or not Amazon roles the wellness and care concept and technical platform out to its other major locations.

Amazon has made significant investments in the program for its success

The clinic component features a combination of telemedicine and in-person services including an in-app video visit with a doctor, nurse practitioner or registered nurse for consultation, diagnosis, treatment, referrals and other patient care support. In-clinic, face-to-face appointments are available and Amazon Care can arrange for a nurse to follow up with a home visit if required.

Amazon Care features a preferred retail pharmacy network

Prescription benefits are part of the program. Amazon Care clinicians will be able to prescribe medications and the patient may have them delivered to their homes or pick them up at a preferred pharmacy. It is not certain if PillPack, Amazon’s mail order pharmacy unit, has a role in the program due to HIPAA and PHI concerns.

Oasis Medical Group is contracted with Amazon

To administer the program, Amazon has an agreement with Oasis Medical, a family practice medical group based in Seattle. Oasis Medical is not owned or operated by Amazon, it is a contracted provider organization. Conceivably, Amazon may add other specialties and providers (allergy, dermatology, OB/GYN, internal medicine,etc.) as they gain more experience with the Amazon Care model, gauge employee satisfaction and weigh economic benefits.

Amazon is a partner in Haven Health, a joint venture founded to explore how to provide employee patient populations with higher levels of care at less cost

It will be interesting to see if Amazon’s Haven Health joint venture partners Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase introduce similar programs for their employees and dependents. 

Key Performance Indicators for Amazon Care

• Is the program saving Amazon corporate money and are employees more productive from using it?
• Are employees receiving better care and saving money?
• Are the employee dependents using Amazon Care satisfied with the program?
• Can the program be expanded to other Amazon facilities?
• How can the Amazon Care concept and program be commercialized and marketed to other companies?

Learn how Amazon Care was launched and what its goals are

Review this detailed feature-length story to see how Amazon Care went from concept to reality.