US Attorney’s Office Launches Investigation of Hospital Unit

SEATTLE (AP) — Officials say the U.S. Attorney's Office has launched an investigation of a neurosurgery unit at a Seattle hospital.

The Seattle Times reports Swedish Health's interim CEO, Dr. Guy Hudson, wrote in a memo to staff members Wednesday that the U.S. Attorney's Office is now among the agencies examining practices at the facility.

Hudson says in the memo that they will cooperate fully as with all regulatory reviews.

A Swedish spokeswoman said she didn't immediately know whether the federal inquiry was criminal or civil in nature. The Attorney's Office in Seattle didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

The latest move comes after a Seattle Times investigation revealed patient safety concerns inside Swedish's neurosurgery institute.

In the fallout from the Times investigation, Swedish CEO Tony Armada resigned, as did the Swedish Neuroscience Institute's top surgeon, Dr. Johnny Delashaw.