Alameda County family sues Amazon One Medical over father’s death
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An Alameda County family is suing Amazon One Medical, alleging a 45-year-old father of two collapsed and died shortly after he had a video consultation with the telehealth clinic.
Philip Tong had a history of diabetes and, according to the lawsuit, was having trouble breathing and was coughing up blood. The suit also mentioned his feet had turned blue. During a video appointment with Amazon’s medical service providers on Dec. 18, 2023, he was told to buy an inhaler.
Tong later collapsed in an emergency room in Oakland and died, according to a lawsuit filed in October.
“To a reasonable degree of medical certainty, if Plaintiff’s Decedent, Philip Tong, would have received proper care, treatment and follow up from defendant on December 18, 2023, he would have survived,” the lawsuit alleges.
Tong’s wife and two daughters filed the suit in Alameda County Superior Court.
The lawsuit also names Alta Bates Summit Medical Care Center in Oakland as a defendant in the suit. According to the suit, Tong collapsed inside the hospital’s emergency room. He had contacted the hospital the day before and informed it of his symptoms.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Amazon One Medical declined to discuss Tong’s case but defended the quality of the care provided by the service.
“While we are prohibited by law from discussing patient records, we refute claims that a change in the duration of visits or location of a virtual visit has impacted the care provided at Amazon One Medical,” the statement read, referring to changes in the service since Amazon purchased the company in 2023. “We care deeply about every patient we serve, and the quality and safety of our care are our highest priorities. We’re proud of our extensive quality and safety measures, and of the health outcomes we help our patients achieve. We take concerns about our care extremely seriously, and we’re committed to continuous improvement.”
California has sued a Humboldt County hospital after a patient said she was denied an emergency abortion this year even as she feared for her life because of miscarriage risks.
The suit was first reported by the Washington Post.
The suit, filed Oct. 1, alleges Tong contacted Amazon One Medical on Dec. 18, 2023, when he was suffering from a severe bacterial and viral illness, while also managing his diabetes and chronic kidney disease.
The online medical provider, the suit alleges, provided care “in a careless and negligent manner.”
Despite the severe symptoms, the lawsuit alleges, Tong was instructed to use an inhaler.
Hours later, Tong went to an emergency room instead, but collapsed and died as he waited to be seen.
One Medical, the suit alleges, “negligently, recklessly and carelessly” failed to care for Tong, resulting in his death.
Attorneys representing Tong’s family did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Amazon purchased One Medical in February 2023 for $3.9 billion, the Washington Post reported. Jeff Bezos owns both Amazon and the Washington Post.
The acquisition of One Medical would be Amazon’s third-biggest to date, after Whole Foods Market and MGM.
At the time of the purchase, executives at both Amazon and One Medical lauded the deal for the telehealth provider as a way to better reach patients. The company offers 24/7 care for an annual fee of $69, or $9 a month for Amazon Prime members. One-time video visits are offered for $49.
“Customers want and deserve better, and that’s what One Medical has been working and innovating on for more than a decade,” Amazon Chief Executive Andy Jassy said in a statement announcing the purchase.
According to the suit, Tong’s family is seeking unspecified damages to be determined at trial.
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