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This monthly community newsletter from Dr. Mitchell Rosner, interim Executive Vice President for Health Affairs, highlights how UVA Health serves our patients and the community. To stay up to date on operations, clinical services, and research efforts featured in UVA Health Community Update, subscribe here.

Dear Friends of UVA Health,

As summer winds down, I’m grateful for the chance to share a few updates from across UVA Health. They highlight the progress we’re making — from welcoming an interim dean at the UVA School of Medicine and finalizing the search for interim leadership at UVA Health University Medical Center, to expanding transplant services in Eastern Virginia, and continuing in our role as Virginia’s only Level I Trauma Center verified for both adults and children. You’ll also read about the growth of our Dialysis Food Pharmacy Program, which is helping more patients facing kidney disease and food insecurity, and how we are moving toward using artificial intelligence to fully automate care for diabetes patients.

I’d also like to ask for your input. We want this newsletter to be as useful and interesting to you as possible, and your feedback will guide us. Please take a few moments to complete our short survey, which also is linked below these highlights.

News Feature

What's Next for UVA Health Leadership

UVA Health is moving forward with confidence as we welcome new interim leadership for the School of Medicine and University Medical Center. Colin Derdeyn, MD, has been named interim dean of the School of Medicine following a highly engaged process with faculty and staff. Dr. Derdeyn’s experience and long-standing connection to UVA will provide a steady hand as he steps into this role.

We also are close to naming an interim CEO for University Medical Center. Open forums with the finalists conclude this week, and after reviewing feedback from our team members, I anticipate announcing that decision soon. I look forward to further introducing both leaders to you in a subsequent Community Update newsletter.

I know some in the community may have questions or concerns about the volume of change that has occurred over the last six months. I believe change is needed to keep institutions vibrant, and UVA Health is well-positioned to embrace the opportunities in front of us. Throughout these transitions, we have 18,000 dedicated and talented team members who remain focused on delivering exceptional care to patients and maintaining momentum across our missions.

Other News

UVA Health Moves Toward Fully Automated Diabetes Care

Many in our community know UVA Health has played a central role in developing the artificial pancreas — a breakthrough that has changed how people with Type 1 diabetes manage their condition. Now, our researchers at the Center for Diabetes Technology are helping shape the next stage: moving these systems toward full automation using artificial intelligence.

While today’s devices improve daily life for many, making them simpler and more widely accessible could expand their impact to even more patients. It is exciting to see innovations that address such a common — but challenging — condition, and I am deeply appreciative of the teams driving this important work.

University Medical Center Earns Top Trauma Care Designation

UVA Health University Medical Center once again has been verified as a Level I Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons — the nation’s highest recognition for trauma care. This rigorous review confirms that our teams provide comprehensive, around-the-clock care for both adults and children and meet national benchmarks for all aspects of trauma care including response, treatment, prevention, rehabilitation, education, and research. 

University Medical Center’s trauma team features surgical specialists in neurosurgery; orthopedics; heart and chest; vascular; skull and face; plastic surgery; hand; obstetrics and gynecology; ear, nose, and throat; urology; and eyes. I’m proud of all of all our team members who deliver this lifesaving care to our patients.

Dialysis Food Pharmacy Expands Across UVA Health

UVA Health has expanded its Dialysis Food Pharmacy Program to all dialysis centers, providing patients facing food insecurity with free, kidney-friendly foods. Through a partnership with Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, dietitians help patients access nutritious items like fresh produce, proteins, and grains, along with recipes and education tailored to kidney health. 

Since its launch in 2020, the program has distributed more than 125,000 pounds of food to more than 450 patients — support that helps ease the burden of balancing nutrition, medical care, and transportation. Community members can support the program by donating through the UVA Health Foundation and selecting “Dialysis Food Pharmacy Program."

Partnership Expands Liver Transplant Care in Hampton Roads

Riverside Health and UVA Health are expanding their alliance to bring liver transplant services closer to patients in Eastern Virginia. Building on a collaboration that began in 2023 with the opening of a UVA Health outreach clinic in Newport News, the partnership now includes local evaluation and pre- and post-transplant care through Riverside Gastroenterology Specialists. Patients will continue to receive trusted hepatology care locally while gaining streamlined access to UVA Health’s nationally recognized transplant program in Charlottesville. For those in Eastern Virginia, this expansion reduces the need for long-distance travel and keeps patients and families connected to their communities throughout the transplant journey.

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In Closing

Thank you for taking the time to read this month’s update. I am grateful for the trust and support you place in us. Together, we will continue shaping a healthier future for patients, families, and communities across Virginia.

With best wishes, 

Mitch

Mitchell H. Rosner, MD, MACP, FRCP
Acting Executive Vice President for Health Affairs, University of Virginia
Henry B. Mulholland Professor of Medicine