Amazon plans new virtual care offering based on messaging

Amazon is stepping back into virtual care with a new service that uses secure messaging to connect patients with doctors for help with nearly two dozen conditions.

The retail giant said Tuesday it will launch “Amazon Clinic” in 32 states to provide medication refills and care for conditions like allergies, erectile disfunction, hair loss, migraines and urinary tract infections. That list does not include the flu, COVID-19, ear infections or other urgent care conditions for which patients often seek help through telemedicine.

Amazon said it will work to add other conditions over time to the service, which will not accept insurance. It also plans to expand the service to more states in the coming months.

Tuesday’s announcement comes more than two months after Amazon said it will shut down Amazon Care, a hybrid virtual, in-home service it spent years developing. The company had launched that service in 2019 for its Washington employees. It expanded it last year, allowing private employers nationwide to sign up for the service - an effort that didn’t get much traction.