Amazon unveils plans to acquire healthcare startup One Medical

The e-commerce giant recently revealed its plans to acquire One Medical, a primary care organization that uses in-person, online, and virtual interactions in its operations. When One Medical went public in 2020, Amazon said that it will acquire the business for $18 per share, which would give it a valuation of $3.9 billion.

Regarding its intentions for One Medical, Amazon has not yet made any significant statements. For instance, it's unclear if the business will continue to operate independently or whether it will be integrated into Amazon's overall healthcare solution.

The industry giant in e-commerce and cloud services has been forging ahead and establishing an on-demand healthcare platform and opening an online pharmacy.

However, the development of platforms like One Medical fits theoretically very well into a larger picture of digital services, displacing those same services provided by more conventional means.

“We think health care is high on the list of experiences that need reinvention. Booking an appointment, waiting weeks or even months to be seen, taking time off work, driving to a clinic, finding a parking spot, waiting in the waiting room then the exam room for what is too often a rushed few minutes with a doctor, then making another trip to a pharmacy – we see lots of opportunity to both improve the quality of the experience and give people back valuable time in their days,” said Neil Lindsay, SVP of Amazon Health Services, in a statement.

For a couple of years now, Amazon has been advancing in the healthcare industry and outlining its goals. It has made investments in PillPack and other online pharmacy businesses, launching products as a result. Additionally, it has developed its on-demand healthcare services, where One Medical may eventually fit into a larger organization. Additionally, it has been considering the healthcare industry as a business prospect, for instance by testing Alexa integrations in healthcare settings.

One Medical CEO Amir Dan Rubin expressed his excitement about the ability to transform healthcare and enhance outcomes by incorporating the "human-centered, technology-powered model and exceptional team of One Medical with Amazon's customer obsession, history of invention, and willingness" to make long-term investments. He continued by saying that there is a tremendous chance to improve consumer, provider, and payer experiences with healthcare by making it more accessible, inexpensive, and even enjoyable. Together, let's innovate and increase access to high-quality healthcare services.

About One Medical

One Medical offers welcoming in-office treatment and human-centered primary care in the United States. The mission of One Medical is to satisfy millions of members by providing them with better health and care at lower rates. The goal of One Medical is to modernize health care for all people using a human-centered, technology-driven strategy. 1Life Healthcare, Inc., a San Francisco-based company, serves as the administrative and management arm of the physician-owned professional corporations associated with One Medical that provide in-person and online medical care. Under the "One Medical" brand, 1Life and the One Medical entities conduct business.