Amazon Clinic, a virtual care offering from Amazon, can allegedly disclose some of its patients' health information if a healthcare provider a patient used through Amazon Clinic leaves, or if the company needs to "facilitate services from other providers," USA Today reported June 22.
Amazon Clinic states that it follows HIPAA, but when patients sign up for the service, it tells users that it can use their data, and that patients must consent to their information possibly being re-disclosed.
Some of the information that can be disclosed, according to the publication, is contact information, demographic information, account and payment information, and patient files.
This policy has sparked senators, including Sen. Peter Welch of Vermont and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, to express concerns about how Amazon uses patient health data.
On June 16, Mr. Welch and Ms. Warren sent a letter to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy asking why the company requires patients to sign the forms.
"Amazon Clinic customers deserve to fully understand why Amazon is collecting their healthcare data and what the company is doing with it," the senators wrote.
The senators are asking Amazon to provide a sample contract with any third-party providers that give care to Amazon Clinic patients, disclose what data the company shares and provide information on if this data is used to sell Amazon products or services.
A spokesperson for Amazon said it complies with HIPAA and "all other applicable laws and regulations." The company said it shares health data with providers only to ensure patients are receiving proper care.