Three former leaders and three physicians at Charlottesville, Va.-based UVA Health are being sued for alleged retaliation and fraud in a lawsuit filed Oct. 3 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia.
Here are eight things to know:
1. Four UVA Health physicians and two widowed spouses are suing former health system leaders and affiliated entities, claiming a pattern of fraudulent practices and racketeering endangered patients and led to at least two preventable patient deaths.
2. Defendants include K. Craig Kent, MD, former CEO of UVA Health; Melina Kibbe, MD, former dean of the UVA School of Medicine; Wendy Horton, PharmD, former CEO of UVA Health University Medical Center; and three current UVA Health physicians: Allan Tsung, MD; Ourania Preventza, MD; and Kim De la Cruz, MD. The University of Virginia, its board of visitors, the UVA Physicians Group and the Commonwealth of Virginia are also named as defendants.
3. The plaintiffs say UVA Health leaders falsified medical records, allowed improper billing practices, retaliated against whistleblowers and negligently hired unsafe surgeons, leading to two patient deaths.
4. According to the lawsuit, following his appointment as CEO in 2020, Dr. Kent prioritized revenue and rankings “even if it meant dismantling patient-safety safeguards,” continuing elective surgeries during the COVID-19 pandemic and accepting all transfers despite limited capacity.
5. The lawsuit cites a September 2024 no-confidence letter signed by 128 UVA Physicians Group-employed faculty against Dr. Kent and Dr. Kibbe. It accused leadership of fostering a culture of fear, compromising patient safety and weaponizing promotions and tenure. Dr. Kent resigned in February following a special meeting, wherein the board of visitors was briefed on findings from an independent investigation into the system.
6. The complaint alleges violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, the False Claims Act, and Virginia’s fraud and whistleblower laws, as well as negligent hiring and defamation. The plaintiffs seek treble and compensatory damages and call for independent oversight of the health system.
7. Dr. Kent shared the following statement with Becker’s:
“During my five-year tenure as CEO of UVA Health, my team and I remained focused on delivering exceptional healthcare to Virginians and beyond,” he said. “These allegations against me are unfounded and baseless, and many have already been publicly disproven. I look forward to the opportunity to address these accusations and to be fully vindicated through the judicial process.”
8. Dr. Kibbe shared the following statement with Becker’s:
“While it is unfortunate that these unfounded and baseless allegations continue to be brought forth, I refer you to the University of Virginia for comment,” she said. “However, I am eager for the truth to prevail through the judicial system as there is no legal basis for this lawsuit.”
The University of Virginia said it does not generally comment on pending litigation, according to a spokesperson.
