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Developing: UVA Health CEO Craig Kent steps down following BOV meeting

Chris Graham
UVA Health sign
(© Refrina – stock.adobe.com)

UVA Health CEO Craig Kent, the focus of an independent review launched after 120 professors and healthcare workers demanded his “immediate removal” last summer, resigned on Tuesday.

An email sent to UVA Health employees and UVA School of Medicine faculty following a Board of Visitors special meeting held on Tuesday afternoon announced that Dr. Mitch Rosner, a nephrologist, will step in as acting executive vice president for health affairs.

A letter published in The Cavalier Daily in September had called for the ouster of Kent and Melina R. Kibbe, UVA Health chief health affairs officer and the UVA School of Medicine dean, alleging the two had created a culture of fear and retaliation.

An outside firm was hired to conduct an independent review of the claims made in the letter, which ran the gamut from excessive spending on executives, failure to be forthcoming on significant financial matters and alleged violations of the approved code of ethics.

UVA President Jim Ryan initially stood by Kent and Kibbe, saying in a letter to medical school faculty that he would reserve “final judgement” until the independent review was complete, adding that the letter calling for change was “daunting” with “many accusations” and “few details.”

“Even though it is difficult to investigate generalized and anonymous claims of wrongdoing, without specific details or names to follow up with, we will do our best to investigate,” Ryan wrote. “We will then take the appropriate steps based on what we find. Once the dust of this particular controversy settles, we will figure out how best to move forward as a community.”

Chris Graham

Chris Graham

Chris Graham, the king of "fringe media," a zero-time Virginia Sportswriter of the Year, and a member of zero Halls of Fame, is the founder and editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1994 alum of the University of Virginia, Chris is the author and co-author of seven books, including Poverty of Imagination, a memoir published in 2019. For his commentaries on news, sports and politics, go to his YouTube page, or subscribe to his Street Knowledge podcast. Email Chris at [email protected].