The controversial CEO of UVA’s Health System has resigned. Last fall, 128 physicians signed a letter asking the board of visitors to fire Craig Kent and the head of the medical school— accusing them of fostering a climate of fear and retaliation that led a number of experienced doctors to leave. Critics also accused Kent of hiring more executives rather than filling vacancies to care for patients.
Under Kent’s leadership senior leaders were charged with changing patient records to hide problems that occurred during their care, and personnel were pressured to keep quiet about concerns over patient safety.
The city’s newspaper, the Daily Progress, also reported that surgeons had been pressured to overcharge patients, their insurance companies and federal programs like Medicare and Medicaid.
That prompted an investigation by the university’s D.C. law firm which released findings to the board yesterday. After a briefing behind closed doors, Craig Kent announced he would step down.
University President James Ryan, who had defended Kent and referred to the doctors as a handful of “dissatisfied” employees, accepted Kent’s resignation.
The board of visitors had recently extended Kent’s contract through January of 2030 and offered him a $500,000 raised, making him the university’s highest-paid employee.
