Philip Tong, 45, complained he was short of breath, coughing up blood and his feet were turning blue to an Amazon One Medical telehealth provider, who prescribed an inhaler, according to the October complaint filed in Alameda County (Calif.) Superior Court reported on by the newspaper. Later in the day, Mr. Tong collapsed and died at an Oakland, Calif., hospital, which is also named in the lawsuit.
While medical malpractice complaints against hospitals are common, this appears to be the first wrongful death lawsuit filed against One Medical, which Amazon acquired in 2023 for $3.9 billion, according to the story. It also raises the question of which diagnoses should be made remotely.
Amazon One Medical is “prohibited by law from discussing patient records,” a company spokesperson told Becker’s.
“We care deeply about every patient we serve, and the quality and safety of our care are our highest priorities,” the spokesperson said. “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.”
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