A DPC Doctor’s Response to One Medical’s Approach to Primary Care
Bjorn Thaler is the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of One Medical, a membership-based primary care service acquired by Amazon in February 2023. His comments in this article on February 7, 2020, about traditional primary care being “ripe for disruption” are valid—but the solution isn’t just technology; it’s restoring genuine patient-doctor relationships. More interesting about these comments in 2020 is that since the acquisition, the company has eliminated free rides for its senior segment, shortened appointments, and laid off staff.
The Real Problem: A System That Prioritizes Volume Over Care
Thaler points out long wait times, rushed visits, and redundant paperwork—issues that frustrate patients and doctors. However, these aren’t just inefficiencies that technology alone can solve. They are symptoms of a system prioritizing billing codes and administrative burdens over patient care.
DPC eliminates these barriers by removing third-party payers and allowing doctors to spend more time with patients—not just five or seven minutes, but 30 to 60 minutes if needed. Instead of playing catch-up with insurance reimbursements, we focus on proactive, relationship-driven medicine.
One Medical’s Model: Falling Short of Its Promise
One Medical claims to be “disrupting” primary care, but uncovered documents about safety concerns suggest they fall into the same traps as the traditional system they criticize. The Washington Post reported on June 15, 2024, on leaked documents showing that one of its call centers failed to escalate calls from senior patients with urgent symptoms. Furthermore, I have read BBB reports alleging misleading billing practices and appointment surprise charges. To make matters worse, One Medical is also facing a wrongful death claim in a medical malpractice lawsuit filed in October 2024. In the lawsuit, Amazon One Medical is accused of lacking “adequately trained and qualified staff,” resulting in care that was “careless, reckless, and negligent.”
Technology Helps, But It’s Not the Solution Alone
Paraphrased from their website….
One Medical’s annual $199 fee covers 24/7 access to their on-demand care nationwide network via Video Chat, the ability to send and receive secure messages with your provider, “easy” access to your health records and care plans, ability to request prescriptions refills and renewals, and access to in person or remote visits in a state where they have “offices.”
They have partnered with healthcare providers and systems nationwide to provide in-person care as they must see a benefit in people having access to someone in person. One Medical has positioned itself as a tech-driven primary care disruptor, but at the end of the day, patients need more than an app—they need a doctor who knows them and has time to care. Telemedicine, easy scheduling, and digital records are great tools (and many DPC practices already use them), but they should enhance doctor-patient relationships, not replace them.
The DPC Alternative: Real Access, Real Care
Instead of forcing patients through bureaucratic hoops, DPC offers same-day or next-day visits, direct access to your doctor, and longer appointment times—without surprise bills or insurance red tape. The true disruption in primary care isn’t just convenience—it’s restoring trust, accessibility, and high-quality care that insurers don’t dictate.
Final Thoughts
One Medical recognizes the flaws in the current system, but their approach—layering membership fees on top of an insurance-based model with the promise of more access – is just a fresh coat of paint on the same old system. DPC removes the middlemen entirely, allowing physicians to focus on what matters: time, trust, and truly patient-centered care.
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