PAFP Statement on Amazon Clinic

Jason Woloski, MD, FAAFP President

November 21, 2022

Last week, Amazon announced the launch of its long-expected Amazon Clinic, a virtual health care platform.   

Primary care is at the forefront of today’s ever-changing health care landscape and it is critical that patient safety remains the top priority in the implementation of any care delivery model. While care delivered outside of a patient’s usual primary care setting can be considered as a supplemental component of patient-centered health care, outside parties must work in coordination with the patient’s primary care physician to ensure continuity of care. Fragmentation of patient care, including diagnosing and treating of medical conditions by a third party outside of a patient’s medical home, can lead to worse health outcomes and puts the patient’s safety in jeopardy. This is an essential test for any new health care delivery system and Amazon Clinic is no exception.   

In accordance with Pennsylvania laws and regulations, physicians and other health care providers must be licensed in the Commonwealth to treat Pennsylvania patients, and are subject to oversight by the state boards of medicine and complaint processes through those boards and the Attorney General’s office.   

It is inevitable that as technology improves and the use of telemedicine becomes more frequent, health care delivery systems will continue to evolve and new models will be introduced. The PAFP will continue to monitor these changes and remain vigilant to help ensure all Pennsylvanians receive safe, quality, and comprehensive health care.