The University of Virginia board of visitors and president Jim Ryan have agreed to retain outside counsel to conduct an independent review of the complaints and allegations raised by faculty at UVA Health in Charlottesville, Va., in a no-confidence letter, according to a statement shared with Becker's Sept. 18 from university spokesperson Brian Coy.
In early September, 128 UVA Physicians Group-employed faculty signed a no-confidence letter against K. Craig Kent, MD, UVA Health's CEO and executive vice president for health affairs at the University of Virginia, and Melina Kibbe, MD, dean of the school of medicine.
The five-page letter, addressed to the university's board of visitors and published in The Cavalier Daily, calls for immediate removal of the leaders. It accuses Drs. Kent and Kibbe of fostering a negative work environment that compromises patient safety and "contributing to an ongoing exodus of experience and expertise."
The letter specifically accuses the leaders of allowing "egregious acts" at the health system and medical school, including hiring physicians despite quality concerns; using threats against faculty who raise issues about safety, capacity and moral distress; using promotion and tenure delays as retaliation; and excessive executive spending amid staffing shortages.
University and health system officials have defended Drs. Kent and Kibbe and emphasized their commitment to reviewing and understanding the concerns.
"University leaders, including Executive Vice President for Health Affairs Craig Kent and Medical School Dean Melina Kibbe, agree on the need to pursue a thorough and independent review," Mr. Coy said in his statement. "The board and President Ryan will receive the findings of this review and work with UVA Health leaders to address any issues that may arise through this process."