WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Senate had subpoenaed Dr. Ralph de la Torre, the CEO of Steward Health Care System, wanting him to testify Thursday and answer questions about the hospital system’s sudden bankruptcy. Dr. de la Torre didn’t show up. 

“Workers have lost their jobs. Communities have lost their hospitals. Patients have died. All because of Ralph de la Torre and his unending greed,” said Sen. Ed Markey (D- Massachusetts). "But instead of answers from him, today we got an empty chair. Since Ralph de la Torre has shown only contempt for our health care system, its patients and workers, the United States Senate must hold him in contempt."

Markey says this will be the first time in four decades this committee will hold someone in contempt as a bipartisan effort. 

Two hospitals in Massachusetts closed because of Steward’s bankruptcy. Several others were saved and run by other hospital systems. 

But with just weeks’ notice, hospitals like Nashoba Valley Medical Center in Ayer closed, leaving patients and health care workers in a dangerous place. 

“It's not sustainable. There is literally a health care desert where we are now,” said Audra Sprague, R.N. and former nurse at Nashoba Valley Medical Center. “There's just not enough. We were a small community hospital who provided a huge impact and now it's gone and something has to be done to stop it.”

Steward isn’t just in Massachusetts but across the country. And they say because of their bankruptcy hearing, Dr. de la Torre couldn’t testify until that legal matter is closed. They told Spectrum News 1 in a statement. 

“If the Committee shares Dr. de la Torre's goal of ensuring continuity of care for patients and communities along with continued employment for hospital employees, it will reschedule its hearing for a more appropriate date after the conclusion of Steward’s bankruptcy proceedings."

Markey says they plan to keep following up until they can get answers from Steward.