CivicScience data has shown that telemedicine is plateauing, yet virtual healthcare services have entered the market in recent years, including Amazon Clinic which connects individuals aged 18-64 with licensed clinicians. Unlike typical telemedicine appointments with primary care physicians, Amazon’s telemedicine service is available 24/7, doesn’t accept insurance, and has up-front fixed prices as low as $30. Anyone can schedule an appointment – it’s not exclusive for Prime or Amazon Pharmacy members.

Join the Conversation: Have you tried Amazon Clinic (a 24/7 online-only clinic)?

While still relatively new, CivicScience data show that 17% of U.S. adults aged 18-64 have tried Amazon Clinic, of which the majority say they recommend it to others. Thirteen percent intend to try it, while 23% are uninterested. This compares to 48% who have never heard of Amazon Clinic – hinting at Amazon’s marketing potential.  

Who’s most likely to use Amazon Clinic? There are key characteristics of Amazon Clinic users: 

  • Americans 18-64 with an expected annual household income of over $100,000: Twenty-three percent have tried Amazon Clinic, which nearly doubles the same figure among households with less than a $50,000 annual income. However, lower-income Americans express the highest intent.
  • Insurance-holders: While Amazon Clinic may appeal to those without health insurance because of the pre-determined, fixed-cost offerings, insurance holders are most likely to have tried the service (14% vs. 6% of non-holders). That said, though, 18% of non-holders express interest in trying it, compared to 15% of insurance holders. 
  • Gen Z: Thirty-four percent of Gen Z adults 18-24 have tried Amazon Clinic, compared to less than 10% of adults 45-64. 
  • Prime members: Even though anyone can use Amazon Clinic, it’s mostly Prime members who have adopted the service so far. Over 9-in-10 Amazon Clinic users are Prime members compared to over 6-in-10 non-users with Prime.

Low Trust in Telemedicine May Steer Some Potential Amazon Clinic Customers Away

The pandemic has brought up discussions about whether telemedicine is safe in protecting patient privacy, and CivicScience data shows that most Americans skew toward not fully trusting it. Forty percent of polled telehealth users say they either ‘completely’ or ‘mostly’ trust telehealth or online-only healthcare providers to protect their personal healthcare information. This compares to 60% who ‘somewhat’ or ‘not at all’ trust it.

Those who ‘completely’ trust telemedicine are most likely to have tried Amazon Clinic, while very few of those who don’t trust telemedicine have tried it. That said, if Amazon can instill trust in its potential users by highlighting privacy efforts, there will likely be a stronger adoption.

In general, scheduling convenience and routine appointments are most common for telehealth appointments.

Telemedicine isn’t for everyone, or every type of appointment, and CivicScience data show that routine appointments and treating current health conditions (plus scheduling convenience) are the most common reasons consumers would use telehealth. Respondents are a lot less likely to use telehealth for new conditions or first-time visits.

That suggests Amazon Clinic is in a good position among audiences seeking convenience, routine appointments, and ongoing treatment for health conditions. They advertise themselves as a service for those who can’t wait days for an appointment or a prescription refill, and no appointments are necessary. 

The area where Amazon could struggle the most is ‘visiting a new physician for the first time,’ as Amazon Clinic users meet with a new physician each time. Perhaps these consumers would prefer to meet in person if they were expecting to be treated for a new condition or something long-term.

Join the conversation: How do you feel about telemedicine?

Overall, Amazon Clinic has a ways to go in spreading awareness and breaking through the plateauing interest in telemedicine. They have a solid user base but still need to expand interest among Prime members, as many haven’t heard of Amazon Clinic yet. They also have a ways to go in generating awareness among non-insured, lower-income individuals. Perhaps they can do so by being transparent in their privacy efforts and continuing to highlight their convenience feature. 

CivicScience’s database of over 500K crossable polling questions allows clients to explore consumer insights and discover trends before they happen. See it in action here.