Amazon Pushes AI Deeper Into Primary Care With One Medical Assistant

Amazon’s primary care arm, One Medical, has rolled out a new Health AI assistant in its mobile app, reflecting how automated tools are being embedded into everyday patient experiences, while raising familiar questions about trust, privacy, and the limits of automation in medicine.

The Health AI assistant, launched on Wednesday, is designed to help One Medical members with routine healthcare tasks such as interpreting lab results, managing medications, booking appointments, and deciding what kind of care they may need. 

The company positions the tool as a way to simplify navigation of a system in which patients often juggle multiple providers and platforms. 

Unlike general-purpose health chatbots, the assistant draws on a patient’s existing medical records within One Medical’s system, including past visits, lab tests, vaccinations, and prescriptions. This allows responses to be tied to each user’s clinical context without requiring manual data uploads.

In practice, Health AI functions as a digital front door: users can ask questions about symptoms, seek explanations for test results, or get guidance on whether a virtual consultation, in-person visit, or urgent care is appropriate. 

The assistant can route patients to their care team through messaging or help schedule same-day or next-day appointments.

The assistant has been developed in collaboration with One Medical’s clinical leadership, and the company says it is intended to support, not replace, human clinicians. 

According to One Medical, the system is built with clinical protocols and safety guardrails that flag situations requiring human judgment, including emergencies or sensitive health concerns. In such cases, users are prompted to connect directly with a healthcare professional via chat, video, or an in-person visit.

“The US health care experience is fragmented, with each provider seeing only parts of your health puzzle,” said Neil Lindsay, senior vice president of Amazon Health Services. “Health AI in the One Medical app brings together all the pieces of your personal health information to give you a more complete picture, helping you understand your health, and supporting you in getting the care you need to get and stay well. Health AI makes getting health care easier and more convenient, so patients can focus on what matters most: their health.”

This launch comes at a time when healthcare providers globally are experimenting with AI tools to handle administrative work, triage patients, and offer basic guidance, as staffing shortages and rising costs continue to strain health systems.

While these tools promise convenience and faster access to information, they also place greater responsibility on companies to ensure accuracy, avoid over-reliance on automation, and maintain patient trust.

Privacy remains a central concern. Amazon Health Services, which includes One Medical and Amazon Pharmacy, says the Health AI assistant operates under HIPAA-compliant privacy and security standards.

Conversations with the assistant are not automatically added to a patient’s medical record, and access to health data is controlled through encryption and other technical safeguards. The company also reiterates that it does not sell members’ personal health data.

Health AI was tested with a subset of One Medical members in beta beginning early 2025, with feedback from both patients and clinicians shaping the broader rollout. The assistant is now available to all One Medical members through the app and runs on AI models hosted via Amazon Bedrock, the company’s managed AI platform.

While One Medical membership is not required to book appointments, members gain access to features such as the Health AI assistant. Membership can also be bundled as a benefit for Amazon Prime users for an additional monthly or annual fee.