Amazon One Medical is launching a pay-per-visit virtual healthcare service for children ages 2 to 11, with message-based visits starting at $29 and video visits costing $49.
The service doesn't require insurance, a One Medical membership, or a Prime membership, and is designed to treat issues like pink eye, lice, eczema, bug bites, dermatitis, fungal rashes, and other skin-related issues, as well as EpiPen and asthma medication renewals.
The big perk of the service is convenience. Most virtual visits can happen within 30 minutes of requesting a consultation, with treatment plans provided within five minutes after the video call, or within an hour of messaging visits.
Natasha Bhuyan, MD, family physician and national medical director for Amazon One Medical, said:
“We are here 24/7 to help parents who need quick medical guidance to determine the appropriate level of care when their child is developing concerning symptoms. This service isn’t meant to replace a family’s relationship with their child’s pediatrician, but rather to serve as a convenient option for those ‘in-between’ moments for parents with time-sensitive concerns who don’t already have on-demand access through a One Medical membership.”
It might not be designed to “replace” a family's relationship with a local pediatrician, but it certainly could disrupt it. I'd imagine that a healthy portion of a family doctor's billable hours come from these easier every day issues with kids, which now Amazon is offering to handle from the comfort of your home. I also fear that these virtual visits with random online doctors and nurse practitioners could lead to a lot of “I wish you had come to me sooner” scenarios with local pediatricians, as issues potentially go undiagnosed for longer periods of time.
Amazon is pushing hard into health services. Last week I reported that the company debuted prescription vending machines at select One Medical clinics, stocked with commonly prescribed medications like antibiotics, inhalers, and blood pressure treatments, with plans to expand the machines to other medical offices soon.