Per an announcement on July 24, 2019 Hahnemann University Hospital (HUH) has announced they will be closing their graduate medical education programs in two phases on July 29, 2019 and August 6, 2019. HUH has communicated to the program directors, residents, and fellows the specific information regarding the The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) funding and attendance requirements for transferring funding. (See below CMS Clarification on Transferring Funding and Program Attendance).
ACGME staff members will continue to assist residents and fellows displaced by this closure by continuing to compile and disseminate a list of available positions at other institutions as part of the ACGME Extraordinary Circumstances Policy.
Contact Information for HUH Program Directors and Residents
The ACGME is asking all HUH program directors to input personal/permanent e-mail addresses for themselves and the residents and fellows in their programs into the Accreditation Data System (ADS). By entering these personal/permanent e-mail addresses, the ACGME is able to remain in contact and provide information on available positions during this period of transition.
For questions or technical assistance regarding updating program director, resident, and/or fellow personal e-mail addresses in ADS, contact:
ADS@acgme.org
Data Systems Technical Support: 312.755.7474
For a complete listing of ADS representatives by specialty, visit the Data Systems Technical Support page.
Institutions Offering to Accept Transfers
The ACGME is grateful for the overwhelming response from the GME community; more than 1,400 available positions for displaced residents/fellows have been catalogued as of July 25. The ACGME welcomes additional requests from programs able to accommodate HUH residents and fellows. For programs interested in offering positions, information can be found in the ACGME Newsroom post on June 27, 2019.
The ACGME is facilitating accreditation considerations that make it possible for residents and fellows to transfer to other programs, including expediting the process to identify and approve locations that can accept transfers of affected residents and/or fellows through ADS. ACGME staff members and and Review Committees are expediting requests related to HUH’s closure, including complement increase requests from programs offering to accommodate the transfer of displaced residents, as well as program applications related to this situation.
Available Positions
The ACGME will continue to send daily reports to the Hahnemann Graduate Medical Education Office and designated institutional official (DIO). The DIO is providing this report to all program directors and coordinators so that they may inform residents/fellows of these transfer opportunities. The ACGME’s list is designed to be a resource for HUH program directors to use in assisting their residents and fellows. It only contains positions that have been entered into ADS. Opportunities not on the list may also be pursued.
CMS Clarification on Transferring Funding and Program Attendance
While not directly involved in resident or fellow placement or decisions related to funding, the ACGME has been in contact with CMS and received clarification about its process for transfers. CMS has published the Medicare Fact Sheet on Displaced Residents Due to Program or Hospital Closure to aid programs in understanding the process.
According to CMS, if the resident/fellow is planning to transfer with the CMS funding to a new program, he or she must be designated as a “displaced resident.” In order to be considered a “displaced resident” it is necessary for the resident/fellow to be physically present at HUH on the day of, or day prior to, program closure. The only exception to this is if the resident/fellow is on vacation, or on leave that has been approved by the Program Director. Any resident/fellow who is on an out rotation must also be physically present on the day of, or the day prior to, program closure.
Residents and fellows should contact their program director and/or DIO with questions about the transfer process.
Previous Updates
The following articles are previous updates on the ACGME's actions to support HUH's residents and fellows during this time of transition. They include background on the hospital closure, details on ACGME's Policy Requirements regarding extraordinary circumstances, and direct links to the ACGME's filings in bankruptcy court that were submitted in support of the residents and fellows.
Hahnemann University Hospital Closure (July 2, 2019)
ACGME Submits Court Filing in Support of Hahnemann Residents (July 9, 2019)
ACGME Supports Hahnemann Residents in New Court Filing (July 15, 2019)
ACGME Actions in Support of Hahnemann Residents (July 19, 2019)
ACGME Contacts
Accreditation Data System (ADS)
ADS@acgme.org
Data Systems Technical Support: 312.755.7474
For a complete listing of ADS representatives by specialty, visit the Data Systems Technical Support page.
Institutional Review
irc@acgme.org
For questions regarding the institutional review process or institutional accreditation, visit the Institutional Review Committee section of the ACGME website.
Media Inquiries
Susan White
swhite@acgme.org
For more information, visit the Newsroom.
Review Committee Executive Directors
For questions related to specific Review Committees, visit www.acgme.org/specialties, and click on the applicable specialty.
Additional Resources
CMS Payment Policy and Fact Sheet
Medicare Fact Sheet on Displaced Residents Due to Program or Hospital Closure
Visa Issues
Contact the ECFMG: https://www.ecfmg.org/
Tracy Wallowicz
Twallowicz@ecfmg.org
Read a statement from the ECFMG on the hospital closing.
AOA Board Eligibility and Licensure
Contact the AOA at postdoc@osteopathic.org regarding questions about board eligibility and licensure in Pennsylvania.
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