Two senior leaders at New York-Presbyterian and Columbia University are stepping down as part of institutional changes implemented after the criminal conviction of former gynecologist Robert Hadden, MD, for sexually abusing patients.
Mary D’Alton, MD, will step down from her role as chair of obstetrics and gynecology at Columbia University Irving Medical Centre and as obstetrician-gynecologist-in-chief at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Centre. She will continue her clinical practice and research work at Columbia. Additionally, Lee Goldman, MD, former dean of the Faculties of Health Sciences and Medicine and chief executive of the medical centre, has announced his retirement.
The leadership changes follow a letter issued by Columbia University leadership outlining reforms introduced after Hadden’s conviction. Between 1987 and 2012, the physician abused hundreds of women and girls while providing medical care. He was arrested in 2020 and later sentenced in 2023 to 20 years in prison after being convicted on multiple federal charges related to unlawful sexual activity.
An external investigation commissioned by Columbia University and NewYork-Presbyterian determined that several systemic failures allowed the abuse to continue for years. These included inconsistent use of medical chaperones, a hierarchical culture that discouraged reporting, unclear complaint procedures for patients, and inadequate institutional responses to earlier reports of misconduct.
In response, both institutions have introduced multiple patient-safety reforms. These include strengthened chaperone policies, expanded trauma-informed training for staff, clearer reporting mechanisms, stronger anti-retaliation protections, and increased board-level oversight of misconduct policies. The medical centre has also implemented monitoring systems designed to identify concerning provider behaviour earlier through patient and staff reporting data.
Additional measures include the creation of a Centre for Patient Safety Science to advance research on healthcare safety practices and the establishment of a $100 million survivors’ settlement fund, extended through June 2026. The university and hospital system have also reached voluntary settlements exceeding $1 billion with more than 1,000 former patients.
Institutional leaders stated that while past harm cannot be reversed, ongoing reforms aim to strengthen patient protection, support survivors, and prevent similar incidents in the future.
Source: Becker’s Hospital Review, “2 NewYork-Presbyterian leaders step down following 1 physician’s sexual abuse convictions,” by Mariah Taylor.
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