Last year, Amazon took away its customer’s privacy with the “Amazon Sidewalk.” They used this technology to allow strangers to connect to customers’ networked devices… while risking their sensitive data.
After some time, they introduced the “Amazon Key.” It allows authorized shippers to open a customer’s home or apartment. This feature from Amazon only puts its customers at a higher risk for crime.
Now, Amazon wants to buy a primary healthcare company to continue its misdeeds. The e-commerce company plans to pay $3.9 billion for One Medical. This move signals Amazon’s latest effort to get into the healthcare business. Some may see this as a controversial move… but there’s no denying that Amazon is about to change the healthcare landscape.
In reality, Amazon wants to access the healthcare industry to obtain patient data. This would allow them to sell more products and services to these patients. However, some people are concerned that this could lead to a loss of privacy for patients.
Amazon Buys One Medical for $3.9 Billion
The Big Tech company announced its plans to acquire US primary health care provider One Medical for $18 per share. In total, it will be around $3.9 billion.
Senior vice president of Amazon Health Services, Neil Lindsay, said their acquisition aims to reinvent the healthcare experience. This includes:
- Booking an appointment
- Taking trips to a pharmacy
He said, “We love inventing to make what should be easy and easier. We want to be one of the companies that helps improve the healthcare experience.”
Then he added, “We think health care is high on the list of experiences that need reinvention. We see many opportunities to improve the quality of the experience… and give people back valuable time in their days.”
Lindsay also believes this will be a long-term mission for both Amazon and One Medical. He said, “Together with One Medical’s human-centered and technology-powered approach to health care… we believe we can and will help more people get better care, when and how they need it. We look forward to delivering on that long-term mission.”
Moreover, One Medical CEO Amir Dan Rubin will remain in his position after closing the deal.
Rubin is also confident with what his company can do with Amazon. He said, “The opportunity to transform health care and improve outcomes is exciting. There is an immense opportunity to make the health care experience more accessible for patients, providers, and payers. We look forward to innovating and expanding access to quality healthcare services together.”
Amazon Wants Access to Patient Data
We all know that Amazon’s business model gathers customer data for marketing. The Electronic Frontier Foundation shared its concern about Amazon’s move. They said, “For them to move into the health care field means there’s going to be pressure to further narrow and push aside some of the medical privacy rules that already exist.”
There’s a possibility that the Big Tech company’s goal is to access patient data. Amazon is going too far with invading our privacy. They need to be stopped…
