Amazon Care Shutdown: Here’s Why It Might Not Have Been a Total Failure

Amazon Care, the e-commerce giant’s telehealth platform, is shutting down. Amazon announced the news earlier this week, saying it would wind down the service over the next few months. While some people are debating Amazon’s traction with the platform, I believe there are other reasons it’s sunsetting. Let’s talk about it.

Amazon launched Amazon Care in September 2019 as a way for employees to receive medical care virtually. The service allowed users to consult with doctors via chat, video, or phone 24/ hours a day and provided prescriptions and home delivery of over-the-counter medications.

It’s no secret that Amazon has been trying to break into the healthcare industry for a while now. The company started by selling medical supplies and equipment on its site and then moved into developing its own health-tracking devices. More recently, it launched Amazon Care, a telehealth service that allowed employees to consult with doctors via text, chat, or video.

The service was available to Amazon employees in Seattle and Washington state, and the company had plans to expand it to other states. However, at least for now, those plans have been put on hold. The tech giant will shut down Amazon Care on December 31st of this year. So, why is Amazon shutting down its telehealth platform?