The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee has voted to subpoena Ralph de la Torre, CEO of the bankrupt for-profit health system Steward Health Care, and investigate the company’s bankruptcy. This decision marks the first subpoena issued by the committee since 1981 and follows Steward’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing on May 11. The subpoena requires de la Torre to testify on September 12 regarding the ramifications of the bankruptcy on patient care. Despite recent findings of some room for patient care improvement, independent reports conclude that all Steward hospitals remain safe for patient care. Steward Health Care plans to address the subpoena with relevant committee staff, acknowledging the need for transparency.
