Dr. John Schweiger, an intensive care doctor from Florida, said a dose of 1,000 micrograms of fentanyl contributed to the patient’s death.
COLUMBUS, Ohio – An intensive care expert from Florida spoke to testify in the trial of the murder of former Carmelite physician Dr. William Husel.
Dr William Husel, a former doctor at the hospital, is accused of ordering lethal doses of fentanyl to 14 patients under his care.
Dr. John Schweiger, an expert in resuscitation and anesthesia from Tampa, was asked about the doses of fentanyl that Hussel ordered for his patients.
Guzel is accused of hastening the deaths of 14 patients by ordering excessive amounts of fentanyl. The defense claims that he provided comfortable care to patients in the last moments.
Dr. Schweiger was specifically asked about one of the patients, 69-year-old Joan Belisari. In 2015, she was hospitalized for two weeks before being disconnected from the life support apparatus.
Schweiger testified that he would give Belisari 100 micrograms of fentanyl. Gusel is accused of giving her 10 times the amount.
“In my professional opinion, within reasonable medical certainty, the decision to administer 1,000 micrograms of fentanyl, which, in my opinion, was obtained at 23:32, was the cause and or contributed to the acceleration of Belisari’s death,” Schweiger said.
Bellizari died eight minutes after taking a dose of fentanyl.
Schweiger was also asked about another patient who died under Guzel’s care. Ryan Hayes was hospitalized in 2017 after cardiac arrest.
Hussel ordered 2,000 micrograms for Hayes along with other drugs. The prosecution asked whether such an amount of fentanyl was justified.
“No. Given Hayes’ admission to the hospital, his lack of neurological improvement for more than two days while he was on Mount Carmel West, there would be no justifiable medical indication to give these drugs in these particularly high doses, ”Schweiger said.
Dr. Schweiger is expected to continue his testimony on Wednesday.
