Amazon Clinics may delay its nationwide telehealth launch

Amazon Clinics, with subscription-based telehealth services in 33 states, is pausing a promotional campaign announcing its nationwide expansion, which was reportedly planned to launch today, because of a letter from Senator Peter Welch to the telemedicine platform was asked about patient privacy protections. D-Vermont, and Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts.

why it matters

political manIt was reported last Friday that Amazon was about to announce that Amazon Clinics would be available to patients in all 50 states today, but that promotion was pushed forward to July 19.

According to the report, an email source said Sensei Warren & Welch asked Amazon executives earlier this month about patient health data privacy and expressed concern that the platform’s new health service could put users’ private health data at risk. Is putting

In their letter, the MPs cited a recent incident Washington Post The investigation highlighted how Amazon Clinic users must sign over rights to large amounts of personal health data in order to use the services.

“We have concerns that Amazon’s online health platform, Amazon Clinics, may be collecting consumer health data from patients,” Warren and Welch wrote to Amazon President and CEO Andy Jassy on June 16.

He added that customers who decline HIPAA consent on the website are prevented from completing their patient registration with Amazon Clinics and are redirected to a third party provider information page.

“Specifically, HIPAA privacy rules prohibit conditioning care on authorization to disclose patient information,” he said, asking Amazon to provide information and an itemized list of what data is being collected. , how it is used and whether it is used to promote or sell any other Amazon products or services.

He requested a detailed response from Amazon on his concerns by June 30.

A spokesperson for Amazon Clinic told hill According to Monday’s report, there was no delay due to an “external investigation” and the company is preparing its response to the legislators’ letter.

big trend

In early 2019, Amazon provided app-based and asynchronous telehealth services through Amazon Care and then employer-sponsored hybrid primary and urgent care services as Care Medical.

Last year, it bought subscription-based One Medical, which offers both in-office and virtual care visits, for $3.9B, and then spun off Amazon Care and Care Medical in late 2022.

“As we learn from Amazon Care, we will continue to innovate, learn from our customers and industry partners, and hold ourselves to the highest standards as we re-imagine the future of healthcare,” said Neil Lindsey, Senior Vice President, Amazon. will help you do it.” Health Services, in an email to the media last August.

The Amazon Clinics website offers a menu of ailments for adults aged 18-64 to find treatment for — from acne and urinary tract infections to birth control and emergency contraception. Amazon launched a virtual care service in November to allow customers to choose access to third-party licensed therapists from SteadyMD, HeathTap and others.

On the record

“Customers of Amazon Clinics deserve a full understanding of why Amazon is collecting their health care data and what the company is doing with it,” the senators said in their letter. “Congress is also evaluating legislative efforts to protect health data in the context of emerging technologies.”

Andrea Fox is a senior editor for Healthcare IT News.
Email: afox@himss.org
Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication.