Guam Memorial Hospital staff lined the hallways, cheered, danced and cried as they celebrated the release of the hospital’s longest admitted Covid patient yesterday, Wednesday, July 7.
In a grand celebration, Matthew Quinata was released from GMH to the care of his family. His family members were overwhelmed with happiness and gratitude for the hospital staff who saved his life; dozens of hospital employees cheered on, as Quinata was wheeled out the front doors around 4 p.m.
He had been hospitalized at GMH for 221 days.
“Mr. Quinata's hospital course was life-threatening through most of his hospitalization. When he was finally able to breathe on his own, the battle for life continued. It took a multi-disciplinary team to care for him throughout his hospitalization," said Dr. Joleen M. Aguon, Pulmonary & Critical Care Physician, Covid Medical Director and Associate Administrator of Clinical Services.
Aguon said a team of different specialty doctors attended to Quinata.
"Physicians with multiple specialties, including internal medicine, an Ear Nose and Throat surgeon, general surgery, interventional radiology, pulmonary, and critical care, banded together to support Mr. Quinata," she said.
"GMH’s nursing and professional support, such as respiratory therapists leading his care, physical, occupational and speech therapists, as well as dietary, all the way to our social workers and case managers, made it possible to get Mr. Quinata home. This was a massive team effort."
The 56-year-old was admitted to our island’s trusted public hospital, and the Covid-designated facility, during Guam’s second wave of Covid-19.
After his admission on Nov. 28, 2020, he spent time in various areas of the hospital, including the Intensive Care Unit. He needed to be intubated for severely low oxygen, among a myriad of other measures to ensure he survived the virus.
“This is such an emotional time for our staff. We’ve worked so hard to get through Covid-199," said Lillian Perez-Posadas, GMH CEO.
"Watching this incredible man be wheeled out of our hospital stabilized, after fighting so hard, was the biggest reward for our entire team. This is why we are GMH. We are one team, united, delivering healthcare with heart, every single day,” she added.
Subscribe to
our digital
monthly edition