A ventilated patient with severe COVID-19 was transferred from Coon Rapids, Minn.-based Mercy Hospital to a Texas care facility after a judge issued a restraining order stopping the hospital from turning life-saving machines off, according to a Jan. 17 report from the Star Tribune.
Scott Quiner is a 55-year-old COVID-19 patient being kept alive by a ventilator. After being at Mercy Hospital's intensive care unit since Nov. 6, the hospital said Jan. 13 it would disconnect Mr. Quiner's ventilator. The patient, who was unvaccinated, had critically low oxygen levels and showed little improvement since arriving.
Mr. Quiner was flown to an unnamed care facility in Texas this weekend, an attorney representing the family said, as reported by the Tribune.
"Scott is now in a hospital in Texas getting critical care," said Marjorie Holsten, an attorney hired by Mr. Quiner's wife, Anne. "The doctor said Scott was the most undernourished patient he has ever seen. The last update I got was yesterday afternoon after some tests had been run; all organs are working except his lungs."
Minneapolis-based Allina Health, which operates Mercy Hospital, said it is grateful the family was able to find a facility that will meet their needs.
"We continue to wish them all the best," part of the statement read. Allina said it could not respond to the allegations of malnourishment, stating that privacy laws don't allow the system to discuss care provided to specific patients.
"Allina Health has great confidence in the exceptional care provided to our patients, which is administered according to evidence-based practices by our talented and compassionate medical teams," reads the statement cited by the Tribune.
Ms. Quiner had filed an emergency restraining order in Anoka County court to prevent Mercy Hospital from disconnecting the ventilator, and Judge Jennifer Stanfield ruled in favor of the request.