Please support Telehealth.org’s ability to deliver helpful news, opinions, and analyses by turning off your ad blocker. Amazon has partnered with Ginger to add behavioral health services. The company will offer telehealth services through Amazon Care, allowing consumers to quickly see a healthcare professional via video or chat. In addition, Ginger provides home and office visits and prescription delivery. The partnership with Ginger will allow Amazon Care to offer behavioral health services.
What is Ginger?
Ginger has been a teletherapy startup offering on-demand mental healthcare since 2011, using smartphone-based technology to connect clinicians with consumers. They identify depression, stress, and anxiety patterns and alert patients and registered healthcare providers to deliver the required care.
The company was recently in the news for merging with Headspace, resulting in a $3 billion mental health business. The merger gives the company a reach of nearly 100 million users.
How Will The Amazon Care & Ginger Partnership Work?
Amazon Care now offers Ginger as an add-on service. Users can access Ginger’s on-demand service professionals, including licensed psychiatrists, therapists, and health coaches. As a result of this partnership, patients’ health information will be shared by both companies.
According to Amazon Care, the partnership with Ginger will make it easier for people to access physical and mental health care. The Amazon Care announcement of the partnership explains:
Amazon Care makes behavioral health a priority for your workplace. Our primary care providers treat a range of common behavioral health concerns. For acute-to-moderate concerns, our Care coordinators refer patients to high-quality, in-network behavioral health providers whenever possible.
Ginger connects employees to a behavioral health coach in seconds and a licensed therapist or psychiatrist in days,”
Amazon Care Continues to Grow
Launched in 2019, Amazon Care started offering services in Seattle and has expanded rapidly since its formation. It is currently available in all 50 states. The service mainly targets employers and employees. However, in-person care is available in the following cities: Seattle, Boston, Baltimore, Dallas, Austin, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Arlington, and Virginia.
Its fast-expanding services are expected to reach 22 additional cities by the end of the year, including New York City, Chicago, Miami, and San Francisco. Amazon is also in a bidding war for One Medical. According to reports, the company has offered about $4 billion for the concierge primary care business.
A growing number of employers are prioritizing offering behavioral healthcare services to employees, giving previously non-health-care companies such as Amazon the fuel they need to develop healthcare consumer services.
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Thanks so much Dr. Maheu! This is quite interesting! I cannot imagine the reach these folks will have.
The mega-corporatism of mental healthcare. What could go wrong?