A former director at Doylestown (Pa.) Hospital has been charged with stealing more than $600,000 from the system almost two years after an investigation was launched, according to an Oct. 25 WHYY report.
Norma Galagarza, who retired from the system as the director of medical staff in March 2021, is accused of stealing a total of $604,702 from a hospital account that the board of directors was unaware was even open, the report said.
There were a total of 896 unauthorized transactions on the unknown account between 2008 and 2021.
According to the Bucks County district attorney's office, the account was a charitable fund that was opened in 1991 and funded by physicians, the Bucks County Courier Times reported.
"It is important to note that the misdirected funds were private funds raised by and for the use of Doylestown Health’s independent medical staff," the system said in a statement. "They were not connected to the operation of Doylestown Hospital, nor related to the Doylestown Health Foundation. The misappropriation of these funds has had no impact on patient care or delivery of services."
Doylestown Health, which recently sold a retirement community for $80.6 million to boost its balance sheet, operates a 247-bed hospital, clinics and urgent care facilities.