A Sept. 5 letter from 128 U.Va. Physicians Group-employed faculty, addressed to the university’s board of visitors and published by the student-run daily news organization, calls for immediate removal of the leaders. The five-page letter accuses Drs. Kent and Kibbe of fostering a negative work environment that compromises patient safety and “is 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.
UVA Health shared the following statement with Becker’s on Sept. 6: “UVA Health and our leaders are committed to providing high-quality care to our patients and an excellent work environment for our 17,000 team members and 1,400 faculty. Feedback is an important part of fostering a healthy culture built on strong relationships across the entire organization. UVA Health leadership looks forward to further understanding and addressing concerns that have been expressed by some faculty members.”
Dr. Kent joined UVA Health in February 2020 and, late last year, the board of visitors extended his contract through Jan. 31, 2030. He has led the acquisition and integration of three hospitals in Northern Virginia, along with multiple multispecialty clinics and a physician group. In July, the health system completed the purchase of Warrenton, Va.-based Piedmont Family Practice.
Dr. Kibbe was selected as the 17th dean of the University of Virginia School of Medicine and chief health affairs officer for UVA Health in 2021. She is former chair of the department of surgery at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
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