Brindisi, Oct. 26. (Adnkronos Health) — Inappropriate, excessive and unjustified use of implantable medical devices (coronary stents and coronary dilator catheters) in the Cardiology department of the ‘Perrino’ hospital in Brindisi. This is what the carabinieri of the anti-adulteration health unit of Taranto have ascertained, assisted by soldiers of the Provincial Commands of the Arma of Brindisi, Bari and Matera, who this morning executed a precautionary order of house arrest against five people (four entrepreneurs in the health sector and a doctor on duty in the ASL of Brindisi), held responsible for the crimes of continued corruption and, charged only to the doctor, aggravated fraud and false statements in the use of the so-called time stamp in the workplace.The investigation was launched in 2020.
The measures were issued by the judge for preliminary investigations of the Court of Brindisi, at the request of the Public Prosecutor’s Office. In particular, the investigative activity, consisting of technical activities, observation, control and tracking services, acquisition of voluminous administrative and accounting documentation as well as by listening to numerous people informed about the facts, found the probable existence of business and corrupt relations between the doctor and the entrepreneurs of companies supplying cardiovascular prostheses, who would have supplied the implants of medical devices in exchange for money and other utilities, thus damaging the ASL, which would have paid high sums for the purchase of prostheses that would not have been necessary. Therefore, it is believed that the devices would probably have been used disproportionately and inappropriately with respect to the clinical and operational needs of the ward.
Moreover, during the investigative activity it was possible to find that the same specialist would have absented himself with particular frequency from the workplace without apparent justification, also in order to carry out freelance activities during working hours. Finally, the investigating magistrate, at the request of the investigating prosecutor, also issued a preventive seizure decree for the equivalent of the sum of 4,264.99 euros against the cardiologist under investigation.
Access to the site is restricted and reserved for healthcare professionals
You have reached the maximum number of visits
Source — https://www.univadis.it/viewarticle/brindisi-corruzione-e-truffa-a-sistema-sanitario-arrestati-4-imprenditori-e-un-medico