You can now get prescription medicines from Amazon's vending machines

You can now get prescription medicines from Amazon's vending machines

Amazon is expanding its healthcare services by introducing prescription vending machines at its One Medical clinics.

The new in-office kiosks, operated by Amazon Pharmacy, will allow patients to collect their prescriptions immediately after an appointment.

The first batch of these "Amazon Pharmacy Kiosks" will be rolled out in December at select One Medical locations in Los Angeles, with plans for further expansion soon after.

Addressing the issue of unfilled prescriptions

The main aim of these kiosks is to tackle the problem of unfilled prescriptions.

Hannah McClellan, VP of Operations at Amazon Pharmacy, said in a press release that many prescriptions go unfilled when patients have to make an extra trip to the pharmacy after seeing their doctor.

The kiosks will offer a range of commonly prescribed medications like antibiotics and inhalers but won't include controlled substances or those needing refrigeration.

Kiosks tailored to specific office locations

Each Amazon Pharmacy Kiosk's inventory will be tailored according to the prescribing patterns of its specific office location.

This means that patients can expect their prescribed medications to be readily available at these kiosks.

Once a provider writes a prescription, patients can choose to have it sent for in-office kiosk pickup, after which they use the Amazon app on their phone for checkout.