An Alameda County family is suing Amazon One Medical after a 45-year-old father of two collapsed and died shortly after undergoing a video consultation at a telemedicine clinic.
According to the complaint, Philip Tong had a history of diabetes and had difficulty breathing and coughed up blood. The complaint also stated that his feet were blue. On December 18, 2023, during a video appointment with an Amazon medical provider, he was asked to purchase an inhaler.
Tong later collapsed and died in an Oakland emergency room, according to the lawsuit filed in October.
“There is a reasonable degree of medical certainty that if Plaintiff’s decedent, Philip Tong, had received appropriate care, treatment, and observation from Defendants on December 18, 2023, he would have survived.” The complaint alleges.
Representatives for Amazon One Medical did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit.
Tong’s wife and two daughters filed the lawsuit in Alameda County Superior Court.
The lawsuit also names Alta Bates Summit Medical Care Center in Oakland as a defendant in the lawsuit. According to the complaint, Tong collapsed in the hospital’s emergency room. He had contacted the hospital the day before and informed them of his symptoms.
The lawsuit was first reported by The Washington Post.
The lawsuit filed Oct. 1 alleges that Tong was admitted to Amazon One Medical on Dec. 18, 2023, while suffering from severe bacterial and viral illnesses while managing diabetes and chronic kidney disease. He claims to have contacted him.
The online medical provider provided treatment “in a careless and negligent manner,” according to the complaint.
The lawsuit alleges that Tong was instructed to use an inhaler despite her severe symptoms.
Hours later, Tong went to the emergency room instead, but collapsed and died while waiting to be seen.
The lawsuit alleges that a medical worker “negligently, recklessly, and carelessly” failed to care for Tong, resulting in her death.
A lawyer representing Tong’s family did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Amazon acquired One Medical in February 2023 for $3.9 billion, the Washington Post reported. Jeff Bezos owns both Amazon and the Washington Post.
At the time of the acquisition, Amazon and One Medical executives praised the partnership with telehealth providers as a way to better reach patients. The company offers 24/7 care for $69 a year, or $9 a month for Amazon Prime members. One-time video visits are available for $49.
“Customers want and deserve better, and that’s what One Medical has been working and innovating for more than a decade,” Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said in a statement announcing the acquisition. said.
According to the complaint, Tong’s family is seeking unspecified damages to be determined at trial.
