Amazon and One Medical Really Leaning into AI
We have talked about the mess at One Medical here at DPC News before, and it wasn’t pretty. They were bought by Amazon a few years ago and are the perfect example of a DINO (DPC In Name Only). In fact, before going on, please read what Angela Andrews wrote here about them about a year ago. I want to summarize a few items from her post:
- Prioritizing Volume Over Care
- False Promises Led by Inadequate and Poorly Trained Staff
- Using Tech in Every Way Possible to Replace Doctors
Maybe things have gotten better. Who knows? That being said, we all should have seen the next step coming:
Amazon launches Health AI agent on Amazon website and app with free 24/7 access to virtual care for Prime members
What’s this about?
As an introductory offer, eligible U.S. Prime members who use Health AI will receive up to five free direct-message care consultations with a One Medical provider for more than 30 common conditions. These cover cold and flu, allergies and acid reflux, pink eye and UTIs, erectile dysfunction and anti-aging skin care, hair loss, and more.
If you use Health AI to conduct direct-message care outside of the introductory offer of up to five visits for Prime members, you pay $29 per Amazon One Medical Pay-per-visit telehealth visit or can purchase a One Medical membership for 24/7 virtual care. U.S. Prime members get One Medical membership for $99 per year (vs. $199 standard)—that’s 50% off. Add up to five family members at $66 per year each (67% off the standard $199 fee).
If you want Health AI to provide a personalized experience, you give it permission to access your available medical records such as medical history, medications, lab results, and clinical notes through the Health Information Exchange, the nationwide secure system for sharing patient medical data, by completing a clear consent process. In addition, Health AI can access relevant health purchases on Amazon, like vitamins or blood pressure monitors.
Just so you know, the term physician is never used in this whole article. Not once. Hmmmm.
This is a perfect example of taking direct primary care and creating an AI monster out of it. It’s not even close to having your own DPC doc local who is there for you. And there are a lot more medical problems than the basic 30 listed above. The art of medicine is using the appropriate tools, of which AI may be included, to make an appropriate diagnosis. I will go to my grave believing that physically examining the patient is still important! Remember all those “studies” in the past decade that stated physical exams are overrated? Yeah, you have to wonder if they had secondary motives in publishing them.
Hmmm. I predict lots of useless Paxlovid and Tamiflu prescriptions. I hope people see this for what it is…data mining. Tell the robots how weak you are! Make it easy when they decide to eliminate us. (Joking…kinda)
This is the best way to end up missing critical problems and killing people. Yay….
Oh geez, I can see the disclaimer in the end. “Online consultation doesn’t constitute a physician-patient relationship.” Likely that will be there even if they “talk” to a supposed “doc” onscreen. I bet the legal mavens crafted disclaimers to minimize risk to them with this “chit”. Also adding, “To see a local practitioner if they don’t get well.”