A hospital executive in charge of a large redevelopment project in Ontario, Canada, is accused of several ethics violations, according to a report in The Globe and Mail.
Suman Bahl, a former vice president at Markham Stouffville Hospital, allegedly used contractors from the hospital’s redevelopment project to help in the renovation of her personal home. She is also accused of becoming a paid consultant for one of the contractors and of securing paid work for her family members and friends.
Records show repeated violations
Hospital officials say that they have substantial evidence that shows Bahl abused her position of power and broke hospital rules regarding conflicts of interest and ethics.
The Globe and Mail uncovered the possible violations in an investigation last year, leading to Bahl’s termination in October 2015. According to reports, she had approved invoices from flooring companies that her husband controlled, along with invoices from window-covering companies that other family members owned. She did not declare a conflict of interest before approving the invoices.
Bahl has denied any wrongdoing, and her attorney has stated publicly that the work done on Bahl’s home was competitively priced and unrelated to the hospital redevelopment project. She also claims that she was not involved in communicating with the contractors who worked on her home, even though recovered emails show that she had exchanged messages discussing pricing with them.
Unfortunately, ethics violations like these are fairly common, and those in power sometimes need to be held accountable for their wrongdoing. If you are aware of these types of violations happening with your business, organization or agency, you may have options for becoming a whistleblower. For more information, speak with an experienced attorney at Whistleblower Law for Managers in Dallas, Texas.
