UC-Irvine Doctor-Training Program on Probation
UC-Irvine Medical Center on Monday verified that its Radiation Oncology Department is on probation after failing to meet the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education's requirements in a May 2006 review, the Orange County Register reports. UCI has the only unfavorable rating among the 79 U.S. teaching hospitals with radiation oncology programs.
Neither the hospital nor the accreditation council would discuss specific causes of the probation.
Jeffrey Kuo, director of the residency program, said the problems are administrative and not related to patient care, work hours or medical equipment. He said UCI is nearing the completion of a correction plan to meet the council's requirements.
A review committee is scheduled to visit the hospital in January 2009 to re-evaluate the program, which could be forced to close if problems are not corrected.
Five residents currently work in the radiation oncology program, and no more will be added during the probationary period. At least two other residency programs at UCI have been investigated for irregularities in the past two years (Bernhard, Orange County Register, 3/20).