An occasional controversy is an inevitable occurrence in any large academic health system, but when concerns surface repeatedly, they signal something deeper. In Sept. 2024, a letter signed by 128 doctors addressed to the Board of Visitors raised concerns about compromised patient safety and a culture of fear and retribution at U.Va. Health, prompting the University to retain the Washington D.C. law firm Williams & Connolly LLP to conduct an internal investigation. Following this letter, last month, U.Va. Health was accused in a 105-page federal lawsuit of fostering a leadership-driven “culture of fear and retaliation” that includes extortion, fraudulent billing and prioritizing profits over patient care and safety.
Despite the seriousness and breadth of these allegations, there has been very little discourse or open communication led by the University to the public. While we should expect the defendants to dispute the validity and legitimacy of the claims, these serious allegations have ignited a pressing concern — does U.Va. Health have a transparency problem that needs to be addressed? All signs point to yes.
To understand why transparency matters so much here, it is important to recognize that U.Va. Health is not a private company operating under independent discretion. It is a public institution owned by the University. It is also not just some urgent care or neighborhood clinic you go to when you fall down the stairs at Trin. Rather, U.Va. Health is a leading health system in the state of Virginia, one that is comprised of hospitals, trauma and cancer centers, and a statewide clinical network that performs life-saving surgeries and conducts groundbreaking medical research. In an institution this large, public trust is not just nice to have, but rather a core asset for a prestigious public health system…