Four top leaders at New York City's Health and Hospitals Corp. have left the organization after an investigation into improper billing for a revamp of its electronic medical record system.
Following an audit by the city Technology Development Corp., the city's budget office and chief technology officer were chosen to take the reins of the project.
"There were severe issues with the project-management office," the audit found, according to an HHC staffer, the Post reports. "At one point, there were 14 project managers--but there was no leadership."
In February, while investigations were still ongoing, HHC CIO Bert Robles was forced to resign, according to the article.
Along with Robles, the interim deputy CIO, the head of training for the EHR system and a consulting firm also were let go. The reason for the terminations was not explained by officials at HHC, who cited an investigation by the Inspector General's Office, the Post adds.
In late July, Chief Technology Officer Paul Contino also left his position, the Post reported. Contino's departure was not linked to the project, the Post cites city officials as saying.
HHC Inspector General Norman Dion has been looking into allegations of inappropriate billing since summer of 2014, the article adds.
Financial statements in an audit by KPMG for the 11-hospital health system from June 2013 to 2014 show that it spent about $22 million on the EHR system in 2014.
The provider started work on its EHR system in 2013, but the launch for the first two hospitals was pushed back from last fall to April 2016, according to the Post.
To learn more:
- read the first Post article
- here's the second Post report
- check out KPMG's audit (.pdf)