Amazon advertises prescription kiosks at One Medical locations in Los Angeles

Amazon announced Wednesday that it will launch “Amazon pharmacy kiosksa new service designed to help bridge the gap between doctor visits and getting prescriptions.

The kiosks, which will launch later this year in medical offices in the greater Los Angeles, California, area, will allow patients to fill prescriptions directly after their appointments – saving an additional trip to Pharmacyaccording to an announcement from the retail giant.

“By bringing pharmacy directly to the point of care, we remove a critical barrier and help patients start their treatment when it matters most — right away,” Hannah McLellan, vice president of operations at Amazon Pharmacy, said in a statement.

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Starting in December, Amazon Pharmacy kiosks will debut at One Medical locations in Downtown Los Angelesand Beverly Hills, West Los Angeles, West Hollywood and Long Beach — with plans for further expansion in the future, according to the announcement.

One in four neighborhoods in the United States is considered a pharmacy desert. Even when pharmacies are nearby, only 51% of customers report filling their prescriptions promptly at retail counters, according to Amazon.

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Patients can create an Amazon Pharmacy account, schedule an appointment at a participating One Medical location, ask the provider to send the prescription to Amazon Pharmacy, select pickup and pay at the kiosk, and then scan the QR code provided at the kiosk. An Amazon pharmacist will then review the order and the medication will be ready within minutes, as stated in the ad.

Amazon logistics And technology You will stock kiosks and inventory with medications tailored to the styles of that specific medical office.

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through Amazon appPatients can also view upfront prices, check estimated insurance payments and pay for their prescriptions, according to Amazon.

“We designed the kiosk experience to be simple, fast and patient-centric,” McLellan said. “But we also realize that patients sometimes have questions about their medications. That’s why every kiosk transaction includes access to our team of pharmacists who can provide consultations via video or phone, just as they would in a brick-and-mortar pharmacy.”

The announcement comes after Amazon on October 1 ended its “Prime Invitee Program,” limiting the free Prime shipping benefit to household members only.

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Amazon did not immediately respond to FOX Business’ request for comment.