The reason why an Amazon driver could save your life.
In a quiet evolution from being a major retailer to also becoming a significant player in the healthcare sector, Amazon may be leveraging its extensive logistics network and its growth.
Amazon is undergoing a remarkable transformation, expanding its focus from being a giant in e-commerce to becoming a significant player in the healthcare sector. This could translate into a positive impact on people's lives, starting from the doorsteps of their homes. According to recent reports, the company launched a pilot program in 2023 called Project Pulse, which involved equipping its delivery vans with defibrillators and training drivers in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) techniques.
In several cities, such as London, Amsterdam, and Bologna, over 100 drivers participated in this initiative, where several of them received alerts through citizen apps responding to emergencies and arrived at the scene while rescue services were already attending to the victims. Although the company has yet to implement new phases of the program, an Amazon spokesperson stated that they are evaluating the feedback received and considering other opportunities for future initiatives.
This strategy could represent a public relations victory for Amazon, in addition to serving as a step toward expanding its ambitions in the healthcare sector, beyond its acquisition of One Medical, a primary care provider for which it invested $3.9 billion at the beginning of 2023. With competitors like Walgreens and Walmart pulling back from primary care—Walmart having closed its primary healthcare business in April of last year and Walgreens in the process of being acquired by Sycamore Partners—Amazon seems increasingly confident in its ability to transform the delivery of healthcare, not just packages, to customers' homes.