Renown’s Risky Relationships
Renown Health has faced significant scrutiny in recent years due to a series of controversial decisions and partnerships. Our investigative report delves into the most questionable of these partnerships, revealing a pattern of questionable ethics and potential legal violations.
The troubles became apparent in March 2022 with the firing of CEO Anthony Slonim, who was dismissed with cause amid allegations of mishandling funds and corruption. Following Slonim’s departure, the reins were briefly handed over to Sy Johnson and Thomas Graf, both of whom have since left Renown, adding to the instability and raising questions about the leadership's direction.
One particularly contentious project pushed through by Slonim during his tenure was the partnership with BioIntellisense. This initiative, launched at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, allowed for remote monitoring of patient vitals such as oxygen saturation and heart rate. The BioIntellisense device was submitted for FDA Pre-Market Notification on December 18, 2019, but did not receive full FDA approval until 2022. Despite this, BioIntellisense published a paper on December 6, 2021, detailing its partnership with Renown Health and revealing that the device was applied to all patients at the Renown South Meadows Medical Center during a trial.
Such implementation raises serious ethical concerns, as it would typically require explicit patient consent to place an unapproved device on patients. Picon sources indicated that the consent document was often hidden within the standard admittance paperwork, misleading patients into unwittingly agreeing to the use of the device. During the height of the pandemic, many patients, fearing for their lives, signed forms without fully understanding or reviewing them. This tactic exploited the anxiety and urgency of the situation, particularly affecting Washoe County residents, specifically the elderly that were most vulnerable.
Additionally, BioIntellisense operates data centers in China, potentially compromising patient data security. The dangers of medical data being handled by a foreign country, particularly one with differing regulations and privacy standards, cannot be overstated.
Another major concern is the extensive outsourcing of Renown Health's departments, particularly to R4 Solutions Inc., an India-based company. Previous reports have highlighted issues with this partnership, but further investigation with use of the Nevada Secretary of State’s business license database has uncovered that R4 Solutions Inc. does not hold a business license in the state of Nevada. This violation of Nevada law, specifically NRS 76.180, raises serious legal and ethical questions. Under NRS 76.020, R4 Solutions Inc. meets the definition of a business and is therefore required to have a state business license.
Is Renown Health aware of its partnership with a company that is skirting state laws, or is this yet another example of the hospital acting in its own interests over those of its patients and employees? Picon has reached out to the office of the Secretary of State for comment, but as of now, no response has been received.
These findings paint a troubling picture of Renown Health's priorities and practices. From the questionable deployment of medical devices to the potentially illegal outsourcing of services, the hospital appears to be prioritizing cost-cutting and corporate interests over patient care and legal compliance.