VCU news

John Duval, CEO of VCU Hospitals and Clinics and vice president for clinical affairs, announced his retirement, effective Sept. 30.  He will continue to serve in an advisory role to the health system through March 17, 2017, assisting on health policy issues during the 2017 Virginia legislative session.

In a letter to colleagues announcing his retirement, Duval described his relationships with faculty leadership and staff here as “simply the best” and said he could not be more proud of the academic and clinical successes achieved over his 13-year career at VCU Health.

“The terrific accomplishments of staff, the advances in quality and safety, the improvement of facilities, the uncompromising dedication to excellence in both service and education has been hallmark during my tenure here and is as exciting as it is humbling to contemplate,” Duval wrote. “I truly love seeing the pride our teams show in knowing that they are among the best to be found anywhere. Our teammates are never arrogant, but walk with a little well-earned swagger. VCU Health is an amazing force for good in all it does and in the lives it touches.”

Senior university and health system leaders credit Duval for focusing on quality and safety during his tenure – including his goal of becoming the safest hospital in the United States. The American Hospital Association recognized the VCU Medical Center with its top honor for leadership and innovation in safety and quality improvement in 2014.

Under Duval’s leadership, VCU Medical Center was recognized as one of the best hospitals in the country and ranked first in Virginia by U.S. News and World Report. During his tenure, construction of the Critical Care Hospital was completed and the new Children’s Pavilion opened in the spring. And VCU Hospitals completed mergers with Children’s Hospital of Richmond and Community Memorial Health Center.

Duval has represented VCU and its academic medical center at the national and state level, serving in leadership positions such as chair of the board of directors of the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education, Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, and member and committee chair of the American and Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Associations boards.

In a message to members of the VCU and VCU Health communities, Michael Rao, Ph.D., president of VCU and VCU Health System and Marsh Rappley, MD, CEO of VCU Health System and vice president of VCU Health Sciences, credited Duval with building a strong and sustainable team along with a culture that understands and supports the academic missions of education and research.

“John may be leaving but the impact of his energetic and visionary leadership lives on in an enduring institutional commitment to provide unsurpassed quality and compassionate healthcare that is accessible to all and raises the bar for academic health centers across the country,” Rao and Rappley wrote.  “Our sincere gratitude and best wishes go to John and his family as he transitions to his retirement in Tucson, Arizona.”

A leadership transition plan is being developed and will be shared with the VCU and VCU Health communities in the very near future.

VCU Health represents the VCU Health System which consists of the only academic medical center and Level I trauma center in the region and comprises five health sciences schools (Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy), VCU Medical Center, Community Memorial Hospital, Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, VCU Massey Cancer Center and Virginia Premier.