In 2013, the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson created and implemented a professionalism reporting and support mechanism. The first step was the creation of the Professionalism Program (PP) to promote and reward excellence in professional behavior and ensure both compliance with policies and procedures addressing professional conduct, as well as to address inappropriate conduct. This group includes both College of Medicine – Tucson and Banner members, who worked together to establish specific mistreatment guidelines and create an online comment and reporting system for both exemplary behaviors and lapses of professionalism.
SUBMIT A PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT COMMENT
The Professional Conduct Comment Form provides a mechanism for faculty, residents, fellows, medical students and staff to report to the Professionalism Program either exemplary professional behavior or lapses in professional behavior.
Reporting Options
This is a confidential, web-based form for individuals to report both exemplary behaviors and lapses in professionalism. These forms are reviewed by members of the Professionalism Program, who determine the appropriate personnel empowered to investigate the complaint. The Professionalism Program follows up on each complaint and documents that the concern was addressed. The Program tracks all open and resolved complaints to identify trends among faculty, residents, or specific work and learning environments (departments, clerkships, etc.) that may require more in-depth evaluation and education. The intent of the Professionalism Program is not punitive. Studies have shown that the vast majority of health care providers self-correct after they learn that certain actions or behaviors were considered unprofessional or offensive. Any amount of information may be reported; even reporting the location or course where the event happened is useful.
Professional Conduct Comment Forms are anonymous unless the reporter includes his or her name; if that is the case, they are confidential. All possible measures will be used to protect the reporter from being identified, unless the reporter indicates this is not desired (for example, if a form is reporting exemplary professional behavior).
To further protect students, Professionalism Comment Conduct Forms about students are not viewed by those on the committee who regularly provide support and guidance to students: the senior associate dean for student affairs and admissions, the senior associate dean for graduate medical education, and the associate dean for curricular affairs. Complaints about students will be reviewed by the PP after these individuals have been excused; the form may be forwarded to that student’s Student Affairs/House dean for a confidential discussion.
Reporting exemplary professional behavior is valuable and much appreciated. All recipients of a form describing exemplary professional behavior receive a formal letter of acknowledgement from the Professionalism Program. The letter is also copied to that person’s supervisor or college administrator as appropriate (e.g., for students, the letter would be copied to their student affairs/House dean; for residents and fellows, to their program director; for faculty, to their section chief or department head, etc.).
The UArizona Ombuds Office on the university’s main campus is here to serve current faculty, staff and students, and to serve all UArizona units and colleges, regardless of location. They listen to any concerns except for: (1) issues regarding promotion and tenure of faculty; (2) issues regarding termination of an employee during a probationary period; (3) issues involving student misconduct and academic integrity; and (4) issues that have been formally noticed by compliance investigators.
The ombudsman is appointed and provides confidential support to students who may not know how to best address an issue or may not want to go to a dean or director or use the comment form. The ombudsman provides support, but cannot take action or act as an advocate for the student.
The ombudsman for the College of Medicine – Tucson is:
William Adamas-Rappaport, MD
This is a fully anonymous, 24/7 program to report concerning behavior. It is available to all UArizona students, faculty and staff. The reports are managed by Lighthouse, a fully independent company hired by UArizona to ensure anonymity. Reports may be submitted electronically or by phone. The reports are brought back to UArizona and ultimately directed to the appropriate UArizona unit or college.
The Office of Institutional Equity is a resource for all UArizona students, faculty and staff. The office provides support, resources and reporting options, especially for complaints that involve Title IX, discrimination or harassment.
Students may also use resources and reporting mechanisms provided by the UArizona main campus Dean of Students Office. Students may report incidents to their Societies Mentor, any course or clerkship director, their student affairs/house dean, the curricular affairs dean, the vice dean for education or another trusted faculty member/COM-T administrator. Residents and fellows may report to their program director, department chair, the senior associate dean for graduate medical education, the vice dean for education or another trusted faculty member/COM-T administrator. That person, with permission from the student or resident, is able to fill out a Professionalism Conduct Comment Form on behalf of students. This is useful even if that person has resolved the issue, as it allows the COM-T to monitor for similar recurrent behavior.
Program Members
Bruce Coull, MD (Committee Chair)
Vice Dean, Faculty Affairs, COM-T
Kevin Moynahan, MD
Vice Dean, Education, COM-T
Celia Valenzuela, MD
Vice Dean, Diversity Equity & Inclusion, COM-T
Raquel Givens Hernandez, PhD
Associate Dean, Curricular Affairs and Director, Accreditation, COM-T
Conrad Clemens, MD
Senior Associate Dean, GME, COM-T
Richard Amini, MD
Associate Dean, Student Affairs, COM-T
Sam Keim, MD
Chair, Emergency Medicine, COM-T
Nicholas Delamere, PhD
Member of Graduate Faculty, Professor BIO5 Institute, Professor Ophthalmology, Professor Physiology, COM-T
Eugene Trowers, MD
Director of GI Services Chief of Graduate Medical Education Southern Arizona VA Health Care System
Venkata “Bob” Evani, MD
Interim President of Banner Hospital
Elizabeth Miller
Senior Associate General Counsel, University of Arizona
Christopher Pastore
Associate General Counsel, University of Arizona
Andrea Vack
Associate General Counsel, BUMG
Jenna Elmer
Director, HR, UArizona Health Sciences
Amber Campos
Director, HR, BUMG
Bethany Bruzzi, MD
Chief Medical Officer, Clinical Efficiency, BUMC - SC
Hanna Minehart
Director of Quality Improvement, BUMC-T
Andy Theodorou, MD
Chief Education Officer, BUMG
Sharon Dial, PhD
Research Scientist, Veterinary Medicine
SUBMIT A PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT COMMENT
The Professional Conduct Comment Form provides a mechanism for faculty, residents, fellows, medical students and staff to report to the Professionalism Program either exemplary professional behavior or lapses in professional behavior.
Policies and Guidelines
The College of Medicine – Tucson’s Policy Regarding Professionalism and Reporting Misconduct for Faculty and Learners outlines expectations and policies for professional behavior, definitions and procedures for reporting misconduct, remedies and disciplinary actions for misconduct, and confidentiality and records retention.
Nondiscrimination & Anti-Harassment Policy
The University of Arizona is committed to creating and maintaining an environment free of discrimination. This policy defines discrimination and harassment and explains the obligations of UArizona and all employees, students and other community members to maintain such an environment.
The College of Medicine – Tucson’s Professionalism Program Mistreatment Definitions and Reporting for Medical Students document states the Professionalism Program’s goal to improve the learning environment and reduce or eliminate mistreatment of medical students. The document adopts the definition of mistreatment from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), which is any behavior that shows disrespect for the dignity of others and unreasonably interferes with the learning process.
Professionalism Data and Report Workflow
PROFESSIONALISM DATA (NET-ID REQUIRED)
This interactive dashboard shows data on reports for exemplary professional behavior and lapses in professional behavior. If you encounter problems with access, please submit a ticket to COMHelp.
PROFESSIONALISM Reports Status (NET-ID REQUIRED)
This dashboard provides transparency regarding the status of Professional Conduct Comment Form submissions, addressing concerns among students and faculty about the responsiveness to their reports. If you encounter problems with access, please submit a ticket to COMHelp.
Professionalism Report Workflow (NET-ID REQUIRED)
This workflow document describes the process and procedures of the Professionalism Program Committee in handling reports of lapses in professionalism and exemplary professionalism in the learning environment. This includes an integrated rating system for unprofessionalism/student mistreatment reports, ranging from Level 1 (Awareness) to Level 5 (Comprehensive Institutional Action). The document’s purpose is to ensure transparency, accountability and fairness in handling professionalism issues in the learning environment.