Westmoreland Hospital employees accused of sharing patient images

Two former Westmoreland Hospital employees are on trial, accused of taking inappropriate photos and videos of elderly patients. Greensburg police say the photos were taken without the patients' permission and later shared in a group message with two other employees. Court documents show Peter Castellano, 36, of Pittsburgh, and Melissa Tompkins, 36, of Baldwin, face charges including invasion of privacy and criminal use of a communications facility. This story is constantly developing. Stay with Pittsburgh's Action News 4 for updates. Download the WTAE app to stay on top of breaking news, and subscribe to our email newsletters to get breaking news delivered to your inbox. Below is a joint statement from Brian Fritz, president of Westmoreland, Latrobe and Frick hospitals, Dr. Carol Fox, chief medical officer of Independence Health System, and Ken DeFurio, president and CEO of Independence Health System. “Independence Health System was shocked and outraged to learn of egregious actions by four of its Westmoreland Hospital employees – actions that were contrary to our core values ​​and standards of conduct.” “We are grateful to the team member who reported this behavior so we could act quickly. When our leadership learned of the situation, they launched a thorough investigation and immediately involved law enforcement.” “The employees involved were immediately terminated.” “With over 7,000 employees, Independence Health System remains committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in healthcare. This commitment is the foundation of our culture and we will continue to put integrity and accountability first in everything we do.”