Hacienda HealthCare CEO resigns after vegetative patient allegedly gives birth
Jan 7, 2019, 5:51 PM | Updated: Jan 23, 2019, 10:37 am
(Hacienda Healthcare Photo)
(Hacienda Healthcare Photo)
PHOENIX — The head of a Phoenix health care facility resigned Monday after a report surfaced that a patient gave birth despite being in a vegetative state for at least a decade.
Hacienda HealthCare spokesman David Leibowitz said in a statement to KTAR News 92.3 FM that Bill Timmons ended his employment effective immediately.
Timmons’ resignation was accepted unanimously by the board of directors.
Executive Vice President Gary Orman said in the statement that the facility “will accept nothing less than a full accounting of this absolutely horrifying situation, an unprecedented case that has devastated everyone involved, from the victim and her family to Hacienda staff at every level of our organization.
“I want to assure our patients, their loved ones, our community partners, the agencies we do business with, Governor Ducey and the residents of Arizona, we will continue to cooperate with Phoenix Police and the investigating agencies at all levels in every way possible,” Orman said.
“And we will do everything in our power to ensure the safety of every single one of our patients and our employees.”
The facility located near 16th Street and South Mountain Avenue said in a statement last Friday that it had “recently become aware of a deeply disturbing incident involving the health and safety of a Hacienda resident” but did not provide more information.
When asked about an incident at Hacienda HealthCare, Sgt. Tommy Thompson with the Phoenix Police Department said the “matter is currently under investigation” but did not provide more information. A police report was not made available.
