Craig Kent, CEO of UVA Health, resigned Feb. 25 after the Board of Visitors and University of Virginia President Jim Ryan reviewed the findings of an independent counsel’s investigation into allegations against Kent and Melina Kibbe, dean of the UVA School of Medicine.
Kent’s resignation took place after a special meeting, according to a message from UVA Rector Robert D. Hardie and President Ryan, sent to UVA Health employees and School of Medicine faculty. The message was forwarded to Charlottesville Tomorrow by a UVA spokesperson.
According to The Cavalier Daily, 128 UVA doctors and faculty members signed a letter of no confidence that was sent to UVA leadership in September 2024. The letter accused Kent and Kibbe of fostering a “negative environment,” “using explicit and implicit threats and retaliation,” and compromising patient safety.
The letter prompted UVA to hire Williams & Connolly, a D.C.-based litigation firm, to investigate the allegations, according to WVTF.
The firm’s findings were presented to the Board and President Ryan on Feb. 25 during the special meeting.
“Following the meeting, Dr. Craig Kent offered, and President Ryan accepted, his resignation. The Board and the President thank Dr. Kent for his years of service to the University,” read the message to UVA Health staff and School of Medicine faculty.
The Williams & Connolly report is unlikely to be released to the public, as UVA officials told The Daily Progress in September 2024 that it would only be delivered to Ryan and the Board of Visitors.
The letter of no confidence, which was posted in full by The Cavalier Daily, went on to accuse Kent and Kibbe of prioritizing spending funds on executive positions over addressing clinical staff shortages, overlooking fraud and misconduct in billing and records and intimidating staff when they raised concerns.
“Many faculty, doctors, nurses and staff who have shared these legitimate concerns have been silenced, intimidated, and/or punished for following recommended UVA reporting protocols,” the letter read. “For over a year, these concerns and egregious acts were reported via U.Va.’s official reporting processes … we sign this letter of no confidence as a last resort out of urgent concern for our patients, colleagues, community and the University of Virginia.”
President Ryan dismissed the letter last year, saying it was based on anonymous claims from a few “dissatisfied” employees, according to a report from The Daily Progress.
According to Hardie and Ryan’s message, Mitch Rosner, chair of the Department of Medicine, has agreed to serve as acting Executive Vice President for Health Affairs.
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Craig Kent, CEO of UVA Health, resigned Feb. 25 after the Board of Visitors and University of Virginia President Jim Ryan reviewed the findings of an independent counsel’s investigation into allegations against Kent and Melina Kibbe, dean of the UVA School of Medicine.
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