Cassidy announces vote to consider congressional subpoena of Steward Health CEO, owner of Glenwood Regional Medical Center

WEST MONROE, La. (KTVE/KARD) — On Thursday, July 18, 2024, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) announced that the HELP Committee will vote next Thursday, July 25, 2024, to consider a subpoena to compel Steward Health CEO, Dr. Ralph de la Torre, to testify on the company’s financial mismanagement of its hospitals. The mismanagement reportedly threatened the delivery of health care services to patients, including those in Louisiana at Steward-owned Glenwood Regional Medical Center in West Monroe. Steward filed for bankruptcy in May 2024.

Steward’s poor financial decisions and gross mismanagement of Glenwood is unacceptable. Patients shouldn’t be turned away or denied care because of Steward’s irresponsible business practices. My goal is to ensure residents in the community served by Glenwood continue to receive the care they need, and to get to the bottom of these problems to make sure they do not happen again. Instead of working with the Committee to address this emergency, Dr. de la Torre refused to testify and cooperate with our investigation. Given the seriousness of the situation, a subpoena is necessary to get answers for Louisiana families.

Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) Under Steward’s ownership, Glenwood lacked essential supplies for patient care, failed to repair broken equipment, closed units, reduced outpatient services, laid off staff, and transferred or turned away patients due to a lack of resources. According to a report from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a physician at Glenwood reportedly told an inspector that the hospital was performing “third-world medicine.”

In addition to harming patients, these conditions burden other area healthcare facilities and Glenwood staff.