Steward Healthcare’s embattled CEO is stepping down from the company, his spokesperson confirmed Saturday.
Dr. Ralph de la Torre is a former heart surgeon who rose through the ranks to become the founder and CEO of a now struggling for-profit health care company. He has overseen a network of about 30 hospitals across the country, but the Texas-based company’s troubled recent history has drawn scrutiny from elected officials in New England states where some of its hospitals are located. are collecting.
A spokesperson for Mr. Delatorre said the decision to separate was amicable.
“Dr. de la Torre urged continued focus on this mission, saying Steward’s financial woes were a much-needed response to Massachusetts’ continued failure to improve its health care structure and the state system’s inequities. “We believe it will shine a spotlight on this,” the statement said.
Members of a U.S. Senate committee plan to detain Steward Healthcare CEO after Ralph de la Torre failed to appear for a hearing despite being subpoenaed. are
Mr. de la Torre has come under intense scrutiny for his actions and allegations of greed, which many argue led to the company’s current bankruptcy crisis and the devastating impact on hospitals and patients. There is.
Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, said earlier this month that Congress must “hold Dr. de la Torre accountable for his greed and the damage he caused to hospitals and patients.” I will ask,” he said. America. ”
Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts said Saturday that resignation alone is not enough.
“This resignation is too late for the workers, patients, and communities that Mr. de Torre hurt and abandoned,” Markey said in a statement. “They siphoned hundreds of millions of dollars from the company and bought it.” Patients suffered and died, and employees and hospitals lost resources, even as they acquired lavish real estate, expensive vacations, and yachts. As a physician and CEO of Steward, Mr. de la Torre knew the cost of his greed and mismanagement and allowed it to destroy his finances. In any case, we need to ensure the security of the entire hospital system. ”
Mr. Delatorre’s resignation will take effect from October 1st.
Steward Healthcare CEO Ralph de la Torre says he won’t testify before a Senate committee because it would be “totally inappropriate” to do so before his company’s bankruptcy proceedings have been resolved. said.
Earlier this week, the U.S. Senate committee investigating the situation voted to hold Delatorre in contempt for failing to testify before the committee. Despite being issued a summons, Mr. de la Torre did not appear in court. The resolution refers the matter to federal prosecutors.
A spokesperson for Mr. de la Torre defended the decision, saying his client was exercising his Fifth Amendment rights.
