Technology giant Amazon is partnering with a high-profile provider to expand its primary care offerings.
Amazon One Medical will collaborate with Cleveland Clinic to open a primary care office in 2025, with plans for additional locations over the next few years, the organizations said Monday.
Related: Amazon folds telehealth clinic into One Medical
“We’re starting small with a couple of locations, … then we’ll see where it takes us,” said. Dr. Tomislav Mihaljevic, CEO and president at Cleveland Clinic. “We’re continuously evaluating potential partnerships, and this is the one that just rose to the top of what we think is the right thing for our patients.”
Facilities will be staffed by One Medical clinicians. Although walk-in care will be publicly available, only One Medical members will be able to make appointments online or access telehealth, among other services.
The affiliation will enable One Medical members to access specialty care at Cleveland Clinic via patient referrals, the organizations said.
“Our [electronic health records] will connect, so it will be very easy for patients and providers to refer to the Cleveland Clinic, but we will not be their only referral option,” said Cleveland Clinic Senior Director of Sales and Product Development Meghan Cassidy.
Mihaljevic said Cleveland Clinic’s resources to build its own clinics are limited, so partnering with One Medical is another way for the health system to grow its primary care network and reach more patients.
Working with a big company like Amazon is also an opportunity to learn other care delivery practices, he said.
Cassidy said the agreement will last several years, but declined to provide a specific length or terms of the deal. Neither organization commented regarding how many facilities are planned.
The partnership is similar to those One Medical has with other providers such as Boston-based Mass General Brigham and University of Miami Health, an Amazon One Medical spokesperson said.
Amazon consolidated and rebranded its health business to Amazon One Medical in June. The massive tech company, which acquired One Medical in 2023 for $3.9 billion, has made several other changes to its healthcare strategy this year. After cutting "a few hundred roles" across its One Medical and pharmacy divisions in February, it reduced its corporate office space for One Medical a few weeks later. Still, One Medical CEO Trent Green told Modern Healthcare in April the company planned to open more clinics.
Caroline Hudson contributed.
