In a subtle yet significant shift, Amazon is transforming from a retail giant to a major player in the healthcare industry, leveraging its vast logistics network and growing medical presence to potentially save lives, with a surprising starting point: your front door.

As reported by Bloomberg, in 2023, Amazon conducted a pilot program called Project Pulse, which involved outfitting delivery vans with defibrillators and training drivers in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The program was implemented in cities such as London, Amsterdam, and Bologna, with over 100 drivers participating and several receiving alerts from citizen responder apps, allowing them to respond to emergencies. However, it’s worth noting that rescue services were already on the scene, providing treatment to the victims.

Although the program has not been moved forward, an Amazon spokesperson informed Bloomberg that the company is “evaluating the feedback and exploring additional opportunities for future programs,” indicating that the idea is still being considered.

If implemented, this initiative would likely be a significant public relations success for Amazon, while also expanding the company’s healthcare ambitions beyond its acquisition of One Medical, a primary care provider, for which it paid $3.9 billion in early 2023.

As competitors like Walgreens and Walmart retreat from the primary care market – with Walmart closing its primary healthcare business in April of last year, resulting in the closure of 51 locations, and Walgreens being taken private by Sycamore Partners for $10 billion – Amazon may be increasingly confident in its ability to succeed where others have failed, revolutionizing healthcare delivery and bringing more than just packages to customers’ doorsteps.