Shuttered Tulare hospital to undergo audit

The Tulare Medical Center will undergo an audit that will examine the center’s management of bond funds, on the heels of the center’s closure three months ago.

Assemblyman Devon Mathis, R-Visalia, said in a news release on Tuesday that he supports the audit request made by the Tulare Local Health Care District. The request was adopted under a unanimous vote by the state’s Joint Legislative Audit Committee (JLAC).

“There has been a long history of questionable activities associated with the management of bond funds by the Tulare Regional Medical Center and the Healthcare Conglomerate Associates,” Mathis said.

The hospital closed after a legal dispute between Healthcare Conglomerate Associates and Tulare Healthcare District board. Healthcare Conglomerate Associates is the company that was running the hospital for the district.

The audit by the Joint Legislative Audit Committee will include outlining the flow and oversight of the 2005 General Obligation Bond money, evaluation of management structures and a pinpointing of the problems that caused the closure of the medical center. The audit will also recommend procedures so the medical center can reopen, according to the release.

Mathis said he looks forward to the medical center’s doors opening once again. “I pledge my support and commitment to this effort,” he said.

According to the Assembly’s website, the Joint Legislative Audit Committee independently and through the work of the California State Auditor’s Office oversees the operations and finances of government and publicly created entities. The committee reviews and takes action on audit requests, which can be submitted to the committee from any member of the Legislature.

The committee is composed of seven Senate members and seven Assembly members.

This story was originally published January 30, 2018 at 9:07 PM with the headline "Shuttered Tulare hospital to undergo audit."