Florida Hospital executive charged after years-long painkiller fraud investigation

ORMOND BEACH, Fla. — For two years, officials said, they investigated a Florida Hospital executive who is now facing charges he fraudulently obtained painkiller prescriptions, at one point using his own child to get the pills.

Howard Perch, the executive director of Florida Hospital Oceanside in Ormond Beach, is accused of using his power at the hospital to get prescription drugs.

Federal investigators said Perch used Florida Hospital doctors’ registration numbers without their knowledge to obtain controlled substances, including the powerful opioid hydrocodone.

He is also accused of going to several doctor’s offices in Central Florida with fraudulent information to get prescription drugs, officials said.

The false information he used came from family members, including his own child, investigators said.

Federal officials did not release any information on how the investigation into Perch started or how they believe he used the registration numbers to get controlled substances.

Perch was arrested Tuesday near his Ormond Beach home and charged with obtaining controlled substances by fraud and providing false information.

Cox Media Group