Preventing Sexual Misconduct
Resources and Processes to Protect Patients and Respond to Sexual Misconduct
Our mission is to deliver leading-edge patient care, research, and education. Health, well-being and safety are at the core of this mission. At UCLA Health we are continually advancing our organization's policies and practices to better prevent and take prompt action against sexual misconduct.
Safety Measures in Place
Safety and trust are crucial to providing the safe, supportive and respectful environment our patients and staff expect and deserve. We want you to know that efforts are underway to further improve institutional responses to reports of sexual misconduct, and to put additional preventive measures in place. We will update our websites and this listing as additional measures or resources are made available.
- Medical Chaperone Policy
The use of chaperones has been a longstanding practice for male physicians at UCLA Health, but practices varied across our clinical sites. As of May 2019, UCLA Health has a rigorous written policy on chaperones. The Chaperone Policy requires the presence of a trained chaperone for all intimate examinations. Physicians and health care staff have been educated on these requirements. For each exam, the presence and name of the trained chaperone is documented in the medical record. The policy also limits the type of employee who can act as a chaperone, and it mandates training for all chaperones prior to their taking on the role. Chaperones are rotated so that a physician or health care provider is not assigned the same individual continuously.
Brochures that describe the new chaperone policy are available in the clinics and on the UCLA Health website. Read more about UCLA’s Medical Chaperone Policy.
- Staff Training
All UCLA Health clinical staff and faculty are required to take comprehensive and thoughtfully-developed Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Prevention Training tailored to the university upon hire and every two years thereafter. We are currently exploring ways to further enhance this training for the clinical setting.
- Monitoring Online Consumer Reviews
UCLA Health has enhanced monitoring of reviews for UCLA Health's clinics and hospitals and escalates items of concern.
Resources
University of California System Initiatives
UCLA Health is participating in a systemwide effort to develop a systemwide policy on prevention, detection, and response to sexual misconduct in clinical settings.
- Issuing formal guidance on interim measures that can be implemented immediately at every level of the clinical enterprise – department, medical group, medical staff, hospitals, clinics and campus - in response to allegations of sexual misconduct, even before any investigation has been completed.
- Finalizing a Presidential policy on sexual misconduct in the clinical setting, addressing education and training, credentialing and due diligence, and other prevention and identification requirements.
- Developing a model formal incident response plan for adoption at each clinical site to ensure appropriate actions, reports, and escalations in response to allegations of sexual misconduct by providers.
- Recommending changes to relevant University policies to more explicitly state expectations for conduct in the clinical setting by all members of the University community and to define expectations for leadership in response to allegations of misconduct in that setting.
- Recommending ways to enhance education and training aimed specifically at the clinical setting.
- Conceptualizing and launching a systemwide campaign to encourage stakeholders at all levels of the organization to effectively escalate patient safety concerns wherever they arise, including in cases of sexual misconduct.
- Expanding and formalizing detection capabilities by, for example, developing guidance to identify and respond to red flags and by making it easier for patients to report their concerns.
For more information about system initiatives, please visit University of California policies page.
Relevant Links and Resources
UCLA Title IX Office and Sexual Harassment Resources
The UCLA Title IX office maintains a comprehensive list of resources available to students, faculty and staff. These include staff and faculty counseling, CARE Advocates who support and advocate for student survivors, student counseling and psychological services (“CAPS”), and student legal services.
Visit the UCLA Title IX Office/Sexual Harassment Prevention website to access additional information about these resources.
UCLA Committee
In March 2019, UCLA Chancellor Gene Block called for an independent review of how UCLA Health and the Arthur Ashe Student Health & Wellness Center respond to allegations of sexual misconduct by medical professionals. The review was conducted by a Special Committee on behalf of the University of California Board of Regents.
The committee, chaired by The Hon. Carlos Moreno, a former California Supreme Court justice, was asked to make recommendations on additional policies and procedures to prevent, identify and address sexual misconduct.
UC Whistleblower Policy
The University of California has a responsibility to conduct its affairs ethically and in compliance with the law. If you suspect that a UC employee is engaged in improper governmental activities, UC has policies that encourage reporting and protect reporters from retaliation. This website provides important information for employees and supervisors about the whistleblower policies. Learn more about the UC Whistleblower Policy.
Our Support of Sexual Assault Survivors in the Community
Since 1974, the Rape Treatment Center (RTC) has provided nationally recognized treatment, prevention and education programs. All RTC services are free of charge. Learn more about the Rape Treatment Center.
UCLA Health Standards for the Patient Experience
CICARE is an evidence-based program that creates a standard process for interactions with patients, families, and colleagues. All UCLA Health employees are expected to make the connection by practicing each of the six steps of CICARE with everyone on every encounter.
To learn more about our commitment to patient experience and the standards we set for each patient encounter by our staff and health care providers, visit our Patient Experience CICARE website.
Access Your Medical Records
- Download and print the Authorization for Release of Health Information form below.
- Authorization for Release of Information to a third-Party (a Non-UCLA Provider, Insurance Company, Attorney, etc.)
Authorization for Release of Health Information - English
Autorización para la Divulgación de Información Médica - Spanish - Complete and sign the form.
- Fax or mail the completed form to the address or fax number above. You may also complete the authorization form in person at our office during business hours.
Visit the UCLA Health medical records page for more information.