Under intense pressure to get out of the hospital business in Massachusetts, Steward Healthcare is looking to sell its hospitals in the state to Amazon, introducing a breathtaking new approach to medical care. Sources with inside knowledge say Amazon has the capacity to deliver medical offices, examination rooms, even operating rooms to be set up anywhere, even in patients’ homes.
Proponents of the plan envision a day when everything most patients need is delivered to their doorstep, with easy-to-read instructions so anyone can assemble their own hospital bed along with every possible accessory. And if they forget something, it can be ordered to arrive within hours, by drone, if necessary. Need a doctor? Robots can be programmed to perform most surgeries 24/7. Need a nurse? Who doesn’t?
If all goes as planned, Massachusetts will be an innovator in providing convenient health care at the lowest possible cost. Amazon will have another huge market to dominate. And the leadership team at Steward will have another big bailout check to reinvent itself with.
How could anybody argue with that?
