Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - The Mayo Clinic has publicly released a letter sent to CNN that objects to a story carried by the cable news network earlier this week that was titled “Escape from Mayo Clinic.” The story claimed a central Minnesota woman had been “medically abducted” by Mayo Clinic staff after she suffered a brain aneurysm and then underwent life-saving procedures in Rochester. It’s an unprecedented move by the Mayo Clinic, which criticized CNN for what it termed inaccurate, incomplete and irresponsible reporting.

The letter, released on the Mayo Clinic’s website, states a team of Mayo Clinic leaders met with CNN for over four hours in an effort to give the news organization context and insight into “a complex situation involving a vulnerable adult in a suspected abusive family environment.” The letter goes on to say the reporters understood Mayo’s concern for the patient’s safety but chose to ignore to ignore them and CNN published a story that was “factually incomplete and wholly inaccurate.”

Mayo’s letter to CNN addressed seven specific issues that were either omitted from the network’s story or were portrayed inaccurately. Among them, Mayo officials say it’s staff never sought to be appointed guardian or make decisions for the patient. Instead, Mayo notified Olmsted County of the young woman’s vulnerable adult status and requested help in identifying an appropriate decision-maker. Mayo also contends it never denied a request from the family to transfer the patient to a different facility.

The Mayo Clinic contends the reporter chose to stick with a firm commitment to a “pre-determined narrative despite contrary facts” and was in contact with the patient’s family before they removed her from St. Marys Hospital in February of last year. A video recorded of the family show what was described as her “escape” was featured in the CNN story.

 

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