U.S. Attorney's Office launches investigation of Swedish neurosurgery unit

The U.S. Attorney’s Office has launched an investigation of Swedish Health’s neurosurgery unit, adding a new layer of scrutiny to a distinguished institute that was recently the subject of stories in The Seattle Times.

Swedish’s interim CEO, Dr. Guy Hudson, wrote in a memo to staff members Wednesday morning that the U.S. Attorney’s Office is now among the agencies examining practices at the facility.

“As with all regulatory reviews, we will cooperate fully to ensure that we are living our values and upholding the highest standards,” Hudson said in his message. In a statement to The Times, Hudson said the investigation will help Swedish understand the full extent of the issues “so we can quickly and thoroughly address them.”

A Swedish spokeswoman said she did not immediately have details about the scope of the federal inquiry, or whether it was a criminal or civil examination. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Seattle didn’t respond to a request for comment.

Read more: http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/us-attorneys-office-launches-investigation-of-swedish-neurosurgery-unit/