Amazon to Launch Prescription Vending Machines at One Medical Clinics
Amazon is taking another step into healthcare by bringing prescription vending machines to its One Medical primary care offices. Beginning in December, the company will pilot the new service in five Los Angeles locations — including Downtown LA, West LA, Beverly Hills, Long Beach, and West Hollywood — before expanding to additional clinics in the near future.
The new kiosks, managed by Amazon Pharmacy, are designed to help patients fill their prescriptions immediately after a doctor’s appointment, eliminating the need for a separate pharmacy visit. Each kiosk will carry hundreds of commonly prescribed medications, including inhalers, antibiotics, and treatments for chronic conditions like hypertension. By placing the pharmacy right in the clinic, we’re removing that extra step and making it easier for patients to get the care they need.
To use the system, doctors send prescriptions directly to Amazon Pharmacy, where a pharmacist verifies the order. Patients then receive a QR code to scan at the kiosk, allowing them to collect their medication. Each station also provides access to a remote pharmacist via video or phone for consultation.
For now, the service is limited to in-person One Medical patients — telehealth users won’t be able to access the kiosks.
Amazon’s latest move comes amid widespread pharmacy closures across the U.S. — with Rite Aid shutting down entirely after 63 years, and CVS and Walgreens closing hundreds of stores. These closures have contributed to the rise of so-called “pharmacy deserts,” where convenient access to medication is limited.
The company’s foray into healthcare has been years in the making. Amazon acquired PillPack in 2018 for $750 million, launched Amazon Pharmacy in 2020, and bought One Medical in 2022 for $3.9 billion — one of its biggest acquisitions to date.
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