Lawrence, Kan.-based LMH Health is owning up to its missteps and taking action in the aftermath of firing their CFO Mike Rogers in October after they discovered that he had changed his name and was a convicted felon.
The day after firing Mr. Rogers, LMH Health confirmed that he had been convicted of felonies in both 2005 and 2007 under his given name of Michael Patrick Brunton, and had also legally changed his name, LMH Health shared in a Dec. 13 statement.
After initially placing Mr. Rogers on administrative leave, the nonprofit health system said they launched an internal process to figure out how Mr. Rogers' fraudulent activities initially flew under their radar. The findings were then brought to the LMH Health Board of Trustees during a Nov. 29 meeting. While the report won't be made public due to protection under the state's open records law, the system said it was discussed internally with legal council.
"The Trustees supported Senior Leadership's decision to publicly disclose the reason for firing the CFO," Pat Miller, board of trustees chair at LMH Health, said in the meeting. "An organization that asks its employees to be open and honest about identifying and correcting mistakes and potential problems must demonstrate these same qualities. Additionally, through our transparency, it may protect other organizations that encounter this individual and/or similar circumstances."
Ms. Miller also shared in the statement that another hospital had previously hired and fired Mr. Rogers in 2023, and if they had disclosed their experience, then he would have been excluded from LMH Health's CFO hiring process.
The statement also highlighted the following changes made by the hospital system in light of the situation:
- Communication. The health system will reduce communication gaps through a formalized system and ensure a single point of contact for hiring information.
- Application process. In addition to third-party online application portals, applicants will be asked to submit a formal resume and answer screening questions.
- Documentation of credentials. The system will use primary source verification and other direct methods, along with extending the timeframe for background checks beyond industry standards for key positions.
Additionally, Ms. Miller confirmed that during his employment, Mr. Rogers did not have access to LMH Health's funds or even a credit card. "LMH undergoes a rigorous independent financial audit each year, the results of which are publicly disclosed. This event will undergo very close scrutiny during the audit and will be included in the audit findings," Ms. Miller said.