Concerned physicians of UVa: This is why we are fighting

We, concerned physicians of the University of Virginia Health System, have collectively given thousands of years of service to our community we care deeply about and call home. We have intentionally and joyfully dedicated the majority of our lives to providing you with compassionate and cutting-edge medical care. We’ve spent hours with you in our offices and operating rooms and by your bedsides. We’ve done all of this while often sacrificing time with our families, missing vacations and putting our patients’ needs before our own. And we’ve done this all in service of our mission and our passion as doctors.

Imagine what it must have taken for us to divert this energy from our life’s calling to instead having to protect and defend our core values and our ability to serve? Imagine what it might feel like to be willing to fight for what is right while risking retaliation from our administration and even the loss of our jobs? We have each chosen this path so that we may continue to serve you as your physicians and stay true to our values.

Why are we fighting?

• We are concerned about compromised patient safety when the administration insists on hiring physicians unqualified for their role despite concerns raised by both internal faculty and outside sources.
• We are concerned when physicians and staff are pressured to stop formally reporting safety concerns.
• We are concerned that there are serious clinical support staff shortages that force us to use inexperienced travelers or lead to delays in scheduling tests or procedures when, at the same time, there is excessive spending on consultants and C-suite executives and their support staff resulting in expenses not allocated to patient care or addressing these staff shortages.
• We are concerned about retaliation against individuals who have raised concerns about patient safety, capacity constraints and moral distress.
• We find it disturbing that the administration has responded to concerns and questions raised by faculty in open forums with ridicule and disrespect.
• We are concerned about the devaluation of standards of academic promotion and tenure.
• We have witnessed denials of promotion to faculty for speaking out about safety concerns, about the existing culture of fear and retaliation or about unethical behavior exhibited by senior leaders.
• The unfair denial of promotion and the inconsistent standards for rank and compensation contributes to problems with recruiting and retaining the best doctors.
• Finally, we condemn the bullying and harassment of our trainees and then the suppression of formal reports that investigated these occurrences.

These concerns have been presented to the highest levels of leadership on numerous occasions over several years without action. And we are not “disgruntled underperformers” as we have been classified by some administrators. We are also not “disgruntled doctors complaining about their salaries” as some administrators have alleged. All of us have turned down the opportunities to earn more money elsewhere because we love our community and our patients, we love teaching at UVa and we love living in Charlottesville. Furthermore, we are some of the most productive and respected physicians in the state and certainly at UVa.

We are also highly disappointed that UVa President Jim Ryan sided with his administration and quickly dismissed faculty concerns while scolding the writers of the no-confidence letter as if he were addressing misbehaving teenagers. We find this irresponsible and disturbing behavior from our university’s president. Amazingly, he tried to convey that, since the letter was signed by 128 faculty, the remaining faculty must have chosen not to sign; so he either ignorantly or deceitfully concluded that only 9% of the faculty are represented.

You are very wrong, Mr. Ryan. The bullying and retaliation from this administration is so great that physicians are afraid to sign. Imagine that occurring in an academic university founded by Thomas Jefferson on the principles of free expression and values of mutual respect.

Speaking of wrong, a self-proclaimed “friend of the university” (read: friend of the administration) wrote a letter published by this newspaper that was dismissive of our concerns with no factual knowledge. This “friend” credits the administration with accomplishments achieved by the hardworking faculty physicians. This “friend” credits Executive Vice President Craig Kent for maintaining financial stability during the pandemic but not the sacrifices of physicians and staff on the front line who were rewarded for going above and beyond with forced pay cuts. This “friend” notes that since some emails were sent in support of the administration, the allegations in the Sept. 5, 2024, no-confidence letter must be untrue. You, Mr. “friend of the university,” are no friend of the physicians.

We are your physicians. We take seriously the oath we have taken to care for you. We are here to support your health and longevity.

Can you say the same of UVA’s leadership?

We hope you will stand with us as we have and will always stand with you.