A hospital director was arrested in Ivano-Frankivsk in connection with a case involving medical implants
At Ivano-Frankivsk City Council’s City Clinical Hospital No. 1, investigators uncovered an alleged scheme to falsify reports submitted to the National Health Service of Ukraine (NSZU) regarding joint replacement surgeries. According to the investigation, the losses may exceed 2 million UAH. The director of the medical facility faces up to 6 years in prison.
Between 2023 and 2025, the medical facility intentionally entered data into the electronic health care system claiming that patients had undergone replacement of several major joints at once.
Such services cost significantly more than standard surgeries, and the National Health Service of Ukraine (NSZU) funds them at higher rates. For each case, the hospital receives nearly three times more money than for a single joint replacement.
NSZU’s funding terms clearly require that the medical facility fully provide patients with medications, supplies, and equipment. However, there were no endoprostheses on the hospital’s balance sheet—patients purchased 102 artificial implants on their own. Consequently, these medical services were not eligible for reimbursement from the National Health Service.
“The director was aware of this and approved electronic reports containing false information. Based on the falsified documents, the National Health Service paid for medical services, unjustifiably transferring a total of over 2.1 million UAH to the account,” the prosecutor’s office noted.
According to the investigation, the scheme was organized by the 62-year-old director of the Ivano-Frankivsk City Council’s municipal hospital. A photo from the prosecutor’s office shows that investigative activities are taking place in the office of Tereza Stefaniv, director of the Municipal Clinical Hospital No. 1.
The suspect is charged with abuse of office for the purpose of receiving a bribe for another legal entity, which resulted in serious consequences (Part 2 of Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The penalty under this article provides for up to 6 years of imprisonment. The director was taken into custody with the possibility of bail.
What is known about the suspect
According to information from “Chesno,” in 2020, Tereza Stefankiv unsuccessfully ran for a seat on the Ivano-Frankivsk City Council on the list of the “Batkivshchyna” party. Prior to her appointment as hospital director in 2023, she headed a dental clinic.
Since April 2024, Stefankiv has been managing a newly established medical cluster based at City Clinical Hospital No. 1, which includes a clinical hospital, a perinatal center, a children’s hospital, and a dental clinic.
In 2025, as director of City Clinical Hospital No. 1, Tereza Stefaniv earned 609,000 UAH and also received a pension of 290,000 UAH. She owns an apartment in Ivano-Frankivsk.
This was reported by the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Prosecutor’s Office on Wednesday, June 3.
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