Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1198635
42 HEALTHCARE NEWS Hospital operator closes 2 facilities after leadership exodus By Ayla Ellison H ouston-based Nobilis Health closed Scottsdale (Ariz.) Liberty Hospital and Surgeons' Premier Medical Center in Sugar Land, Texas, on Sept. 13, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. Nobilis had a 75 percent ownership interest in Scottsdale Liberty Hospital, and Surgeons' Premier Medical Center is also referred to as Hospital for Surgical Excellence on the company's website, according to the Houston Business Journal. Nobilis shut down the facilities as the company faces delisting from the New York Stock Ex- change and aer a few topic executives resigned. e NYSE American suspended trading of Nobilis' stock aer markets closed Sept. 3 be- cause the company has not filed an earnings report since the second quarter of 2018. No- bilis will not appeal the delisting, which is ex- pected to become effective in late September. Nobilis announced earlier this month that two executives resigned. Brandon Moreno, the company's CFO, and Marissa Arreola, chief legal officer, resigned Sept. 6. e com- pany has also churned through at least two CEOs since December 2018, according to the Houston Business Journal. Nobilis owns, operates, manages or co-manag- es more than 60 hospitals, clinics and ambula- tory care centers in Texas and Arizona, accord- ing to the company's website. Nobilis recorded nearly $300 million in revenue in 2017, which is the most recent annual report available, ac- cording to the Houston Business Journal. n DEA raids some West Coast Kaiser Permanente pharmacies By Alia Paavola F ederal narcotics agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration raided several Kaiser Permanente pharmacies along the West Coast Sept. 18, according to The Oregonian. The inquiry is part of a Los Angeles-based investi- gation. Federal narcotic officers from the agency's diversion control office used administrative inspec- tion warrants to search records to determine if le- gitimately made controlled substances were being diverted for illicit drug use. "We are fully cooperating with the DEA to provide the agency with the information they are seeking. As always, we are committed to complying with all state and federal regulations and ensuring the safety of our patients and members," Mike Foley, a spokesperson for Kaiser Permanente, told The Oregonian. It is unclear how many warrants were served, but a pharmacy in Portland, Ore., Woodland Hills, Calif., and Riverside, Calif., were searched, according to California news station KTLA 5. n Ohio hospital employee dies after man drives truck into ER By Ayla Ellison A hospital employee was killed Sept. 13 when a man crashed his truck into the emergency room of Diley Ridge Medical Center in Canal Winchester, Ohio, according to NBC News. Authorities said they believe the crash was intentional. The driver, Raymond Leiendecker, has been charged with aggravated mur- der. He received treatment for injuries, according to CNN. Mr. Leiendecker voluntarily sought a psychological evaluation shortly before the crash, which occurred around 10 a.m. He left the hospital against medical advice and then drove his truck through the doors of the ER. Columbus, Ohio-based Mount Carmel Health System, which op- erates Diley Ridge Medical Center, said the ER is closed due to structural damage. The employee who was killed was hospital worker Scott Davis, 61. Cindy Fritz was injured, ABC 6 reports. "We are very sad to report the loss of one of our Diley Ridge em- ployees today," Mount Carmel interim CEO Michael Englehart said in a statement to WCMH. "Our hearts go out to their family and friends. And we pray for them during this tremendously diffi- cult time." n