When the LCME visited the Phoenix campus in June, it rejected the school’s attempt to advance to the mid-tier “professional” level of accreditation, and warned the school that its “preliminary” accreditation status was in jeopardy due to areas of non-compliance.
The LCME cited four areas of non-compliance, according to AZcentral.com. Two of these have to do with the medical school’s partnership with Phoenix-based Banner Health.
Earlier this year, Banner acquired Tucson-based University of Arizona Health Network for more than $1 billion and partnered with the University of Arizona College of Medicine. Through the acquisition and partnership, Banner contributed a total of $261 million to assist with faculty recruitment and development programs at the medical schools in Phoenix and Tucson.
To comply with the LCME’s standards, the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix appointed Stuart Flynn, MD, dean of the Phoenix campus, to join a Banner Health-University of Arizona council. The medical school altered its contract with Banner to make sure medical school deans have authority over clinical training appointments for third-year and fourth-year medical students.
The LCME will reevaluate the medical school’s accreditation status in February. The school is hoping for full accreditation by next November.
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