by James A. Bacon

A half-dozen vendors have put the University of Virginia Health System on credit hold, interrupting supplies of important medical supplies and equipment, alleges a group calling itself the Concerned UVA Health Physicians & UVA School of Medicine Faculty.

The vendors include Boston Scientific, a supplier of catheterization and electrophysiology supplies, which in June 2024 was owed $2 million with $700,000 overdue, states the group in a public letter published on the TheTruthAboutUVAHealth.com website.

Also, Phillips, a supplier of intracardiac echocardiography supplies and lead extraction supplies, has placed at least two credit holds on UVA Health. The most recent was November 2024 with over $400,000 not paid, according to the doctors’ group.

Meanwhile, Parrhesiastes, an allied website, says it knows of three “life-threatening incidents” in the past two months when dangerous situations unfolded after “suspicious odors” disrupted surgeries in Operating Rooms 25 and OR 33 at the UVA University Hospital.

The allegations represent a marked departure from previous communications in which 128 physicians affiliated with the UVA Medical Center and School of Medicine charged hospital and academic leadership of upcoding patient procedures, engaging in practices that put patients at risk, padding C-Suite staffing, and creating a culture of fear and retaliation. Until now physicians have not revealed specifics to the public. The allegations are being investigated by a UVA Board of Visitors inquiry.

The latest allegations to be made public are far more specific. What remains to be ascertained is whether the incidents described are the kind of glitches that commonly occur in major hospitals or represent a more systemic problem at UVA.

The University of Virginia, which includes the Health System division, the academic division in Charlottesville, and the academic division in Wise, has a AAA bond rating. State auditors have revealed significant problems in recent years, including operating deficits at the McIntire School of Commerce and material accounting misstatements by the health division after the consolidation of the UVA Medical Center with three community hospitals. Those problems appear to have been addressed. A pattern of unpaid bills and credit cancellations potentially could represent another major financial issue.

Parrhesiastes identified six vendors who have put UVA Health on credit hold.

AADCO – Supplier of lead aprons and eye protection. UVA Health was placed on credit hold for not paying bills;

BOSTON SCIENTIFIC – Supplier of cardiac catheterization and electrophysiology supplies. In June 2024, a credit hold was placed with over $2 million owed and $700,000 overdue;

CORDIS – Supplier of cardiology and endovascular devices. In August 2024, UVA Health was placed on a credit hold for two weeks. Out of courtesy for patients, Cordis released a few products but withheld the rest until payment was resolved;

GE HEALTHCARE – Supplier of bedside and OR monitors. GE monitors stopped transmitting data to EPIC (clinical electronic medical record). When UVA Health staff called GE, they were told that UVA Health was on credit hold for not paying bills;

GETINGE – Supplier of scope supplies for coronary artery bypass grafting. Placed a credit hold on UVA Health for delinquent bills;

PHILIPS – Supplier of intracardiac echocardiography supplies and lead extraction supplies. Has placed at least two credit holds on UVA Health. The most recent was November 2024 with over $400,000 not paid. This resulted in two patients almost not being able to receive the critical treatment they needed.

Parrhesiastes also cites sources saying that UVA Health has not been paying its hotel bills. “We have … heard that UVA Health has an outstanding debt with Boar’s Head Resort which is owned by The University of Virginia Foundation.”

“Who is responsible for making financial decisions at UVA Health?” ask the Concerned UVA Physicians.

It is not clear who is in charge of UVA Health finances. The UVA Health website lists 36 individuals in leadership positions under UVA President Jim Ryan. UVA Health does not have a chief financial officer, although the UVA Medical Center does. (Organizationally, the UVA Medical Center, the main hospital, is part of UVA Health but distinct from the community hospitals, satellite clinics, physicians group, and medical/nursing school.)

Parrhesiastes also provided details of the three “suspicious odor” incidents during vascular/cardiac surgeries.

During these life-threatening incidents:

• Rapid, extreme measures were taken by our colleagues to ensure the safety of everyone in the OR and that the patients survived.

• Multiple doctors, nurses and staff became symptomatic which included light-headedness and feeling ill.

• A trainee became symptomatic and had to be assisted out.

• A member of the operating team stopped breathing, was rushed from the OR to the ER on a stretcher and thankfully survived.

• The member of the operating team who stopped breathing during the incident was billed by UVA Health for their ER visit.

• A Department Chair became symptomatic and had to leave the OR.

It sounds like the Board of Visitors investigators have a lot more to chew on.

James A. Bacon is contributing editor of The Jefferson Council.