An Alameda County family is suing Amazon One Medical, saying a 45-year-old father of two collapsed and died shortly after a video consultation with the health clinic.
Philip Tong had a history of diabetes and, according to the lawsuit, had trouble breathing and was coughing up blood. The suit also revealed that his feet had turned blue. During video appointments with Amazon medical service providers on Dec. 18, 2023, he was told to buy a sniffer.
Tong later collapsed in an emergency room in Oakland and died, according to the lawsuit filed in October.
“With some degree of medical certainty, if the Decedent’s Decedent, Philip Tong, had received the proper care, treatment and follow-up of the defendant on December 18, 2023, he would have survived,” the lawsuit said.
Representatives for Amazon One Medical did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the suit.
Tong’s wife and two daughters filed a 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 suit, Tong collapsed inside the hospital’s emergency room. He contacted the hospital the day before and informed them of his symptoms.
The case was first reported by the Washington Post.
The lawsuit, filed on October 1, alleges that Tong contacted Amazon One Medical on December 18, 2023, while suffering from viral and bacterial illnesses, while managing his diabetes and chronic kidney disease.
The online medical provider, the lawsuit alleges, provided care in a “negligent and negligent manner.”
Despite severe symptoms, the lawsuit says Tong was instructed to use an inhaler.
Hours later, Tong went to the emergency room instead, but collapsed and died while waiting to be seen.
One Medical, the lawsuit alleges, “negligently, negligently and negligently,” failed to care for Tong, leading to his death.
Lawyers representing Tong’s family did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Amazon bought One Medical in February 2023 for $3.9 billion, reports the Washington Post. Jeff Bezos owns Amazon and the Washington Post.
At the time of the purchase, Amazon and One Medical executives praised the healthcare provider agreement as a way to better reach patients. The company offers 24-7 maintenance for an annual fee of $69 per year, or $9 per month for Amazon Prime members. A one-time video tour is offered for $49.
“Customers want and deserve better, and that’s what One Medical has been working on and innovating for more than a decade,” Amazon Chief Executive Andy Jassy said in a statement announcing the acquisition.
According to the lawsuit, Tong’s family is seeking unspecified damages to be determined at trial.
Source link
