Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, which removed its orthopedics chief from his post after widespread complaints of employee harassment and sexual misconduct with unconscious patients, has been placed on probation for “substantial” noncompliance by the accrediting agency for all U.S. physician residency and internship programs.
Neither the hospital nor the county Department of Health Services would say whether the action by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education grew out of the controversy surrounding Dr. Louis Kwong, the Department of Orthopedic Surgery chairman who was placed on administrative leave more than a year ago.
The accreditation council also declined to explain why Harbor-UCLA has been placed on probation, but the agency was alerted to problems with Kwong by emergency medicine residents who became frustrated that hospital leadership was ignoring their complaints.
Three physicians have filed lawsuits against Kwong and the county, alleging he engaged in sexual misconduct in the operating room, delayed acute surgeries in favor of elective procedures and made repeated misogynistic comments to staff.
Dr. Darrell W. Harrington, who is in charge of training programs at Harbor-UCLA, acknowledged in a July letter to physicians and staff that the probationary status is “considered a serious disciplinary decision by ACGME,” but noted that DHS and hospital leadership “are confident full accreditation will be restored.”
Harrington’s letter, which was obtained by the Southern California News Group, noted that, “Moving forward, Harbor-UCLA will integrate input from important stakeholders, institutional and Department of Health Services leadership as well as our Graduate Medical Education Committee to devise a strategy and pathway forward to address the concerns raised by ACGME.”
Harrington declined to comment and DHS officials did not answer questions about the probationary status.
Harbor-UCLA, a 570-bed public teaching hospital…
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