Former IWK CEO repays remaining $10K from expense scandal

Former IWK Health Centre CEO Tracy Kitch has repaid $9,720.39 in outstanding personal expenses charged to the Halifax children's hospital. The payment comes just two days after the hospital said it would pursue legal action against her to get the money.

IWK spokesperson Nick Cox confirmed the payment in an email on Tuesday.

"It is good to put this matter behind us as we turn our attention to supporting the review processes underway, and most importantly, continuing to support the great people at the IWK who work so hard every day to provide the best possible care to the women and children we serve," he said in the email.

What did she expense?

Kitch stepped down from her post as chief executive in late August — one week before an independent audit found she expensed some $47,000 in personal charges to the IWK for things like air travel, hotel costs, data overages and car rentals.

Some of Kitch's expenses had been repaid by the time she resigned, but the hospital board had asked that the outstanding balance be repaid by the end of September.

Nova Scotia's auditor general has since announced his office will examine the IWK's books and practices, and the hospital's board has referred the matter of Kitch's expenses to Halifax Regional Police.

CBC News first reported the inconsistencies with Kitch's expenses in June, finding that thousands in personal expenses were charged to a corporate credit card in Kitch's name.

Kitch was hired in the summer of 2014 at a salary of $280,000. She earned $296,000 last year.

The hospital's top financial official, Stephen D'Arcy, has also been swept up by the expense scandal. He resigned last week, just two weeks after he was placed on paid leave.

The former CFO removed critical emails related to expense preparation for a freedom-of-information disclosure, a CBC News investigation showed.