News coming out of the Kansas University Medical Center just keeps getting worse.

Several weeks ago, one of the school’s most distinguished researchers, Billy Hudson, left KU for Vanderbilt University. Hudson was one of the true all-stars at the medical center, and he brought in millions of dollars in research money. The world-renowned Hudson had been at KU for 28 years.

He left because Vanderbilt offered greater opportunities and facilities for him to continue his research and also because he was frustrated by current conditions at KU.

When Hudson announced his decision, another internationally known KU researcher, Dr. S.K. Dey announced he, too, would be moving to Vanderbilt.

Along with Hudson and Dey, about 20 members of their KUMC research teams also moved to the Tennessee university.

The move of these two researchers was a major loss for KU, although some tried to sugarcoat the situation by claiming they could be replaced without much trouble. Time will tell.

At the time, this reporter noted morale at the medical center was low. Conversely, the totally independent hospital, KU Med, which used to be part of the medical center, is doing extremely well. Beds are full, and plans have been announced for a major expansion.

Things are not as rosy within the Med Center, with many complaining leadership and money are the two main problems.

Last week, University of Minnesota officials announced Dr. Deborah Powell, executive dean of the KU School of Medicine and vice chancellor for clinical affairs, was being recommended to become dean of the Minnesota medical school, a school ranked in the top 20 in the nation, higher than KU.

Some at KU questioned just how serious Minnesota officials were in visiting with Powell and suggested the well-respected dean was using the Minnesota situation to try to better her position at KU.

It would be interesting to know what these cynics are saying now and whether they will try to suggest, as they did concerning Hudson’s and Dey’s departures, that Powell’s move will not be too serious or damaging to the medical center.

In January 2000, KU officials were thrilled to attract Dr. Tom DuBose from the University of Texas Medical Center in Houston. His move to KU was touted as a major step in elevating the excellence of the KU School of Medicine, and he was told he was being brought in to revitalize the school. He has top credentials and a worldwide reputation.

In September, DuBose will become chair of the department of internal medicine at Wake Forest University.

This is another damaging loss for KU. First Billy Hudson, then S.K. Dey, followed by Deborah Powell and now Tom DuBose. Who is next?

An even more important question is what is happening at KUMC? Why are some of the top doctors leaving, and what needs to be done to stop this erosion of excellence?

It is a very serious matter, one that ought to be of top concern to members of the Kansas Board of Regents, state legislators and those in senior leadership positions at the university and KUMC.

Money is not the primary reason there is such an exodus. Sure, money is important, as are research facilities, but this reporter has been told lack of leadership, lack of direction, lack of organization and lack of strategic planning are the primary causes of unrest, unhappiness, frustration and deteriorating morale at the medical center.

The recurring theme this reporter hears from respected medical center doctors and researchers in describing current conditions at the facility is: “We have a totally dysfunctional family at the medical center. We don’t know who’s in charge, who’s the leader. The organization is dysfunctional, our mission is not clear, there is not a proper working relationship between the medical center and the hospital, and there hasn’t been needed investment in facilities and salaries.”

The adage, “were there’s smoke, there’s fire” certainly describes what is happening at KUMC. How long will the fire be allowed to burn? Where is the leadership? What is the role and responsibility of KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway, and what is the role and responsibility of Dr. Don Hagen, executive vice chancellor for the medical center?

It is well known that Powell and Irene Cumming, president and chief executive officer for KU Med, the independent hospital, did not see eye to eye on a number of matters. Cumming has done a superb job of running the hospital, but even though it is an independent operation, there is a great deal of interaction between the two facilities. Doctors and researchers serve both facilities and they must work well together if the medical center and hospital are to have any chance of reaching their potential.

As soon as the announcement was made about Powell’s move to Minnesota, there was speculation Dr. Barbara Atkinson, chair of the medical school’s residency program and a highly acclaimed and respected pathologist, might replace Powell.

She and Cumming have been acquaintances and friends for years, both coming to KU from Pennsylvania. The thinking was this combination of Cumming and Atkinson might lessen the tensions, ego struggles, turf battles and animosity that apparently hindered the Powell-Cumming relationship.

Friday morning, Hagen announced that, effective immediately, Atkinson would be the permanent executive dean of the medical school.

If Powell is appointed at Minnesota, she would not start until October, so what Hagen has done is to fire Powell. This has caused unrest among some in the medical school. Atkinson is well-respected, but Hagen’s action did not set well with the medical center.

One highly regarded member of the medical center staff said Hagen apparently doesn’t appreciate or understand “the repercussions of his precipitous action” and that this will be noted by those in other medical schools around the country. He said this will not reflect well on KU.

Some are even wondering whether the elevation of Atkinson had been in the works for some time and would have occurred even if Powell had not taken the position at Minnesota. “The whole thing was planned,” one doctor said.

Those at the medical center claim it has been extremely difficult to get the hospital to work with the medical center. It’s likely some at the hospital will say it’s just the opposite. The fact is, both need to work together for the benefit of the whole and, according to many in the medical school, they were well on their way to elevating the centers’ overall excellence when they claim KU Med changed the playing field and everyone had to go along with the way the hospital people wanted to play the game. Others claim a big part of the problem has been the less-than-cooperative attitude by Powell and DuBose.

Again, it is a bad situation, and after the quick appointment of Atkinson, it’s not likely to get better for some time. Some are saying Hagen’s action was insulting and degrading.

Something needs to be done and quickly. Although there has been much talk about KU moving up into the top 25 state-aided universities, others are saying KU has slipped in recent years, rather than moving up.

With the loss of top doctors and researchers at KUMC and troubles at the University of Missouri school of biological sciences, there also is a strong possibility that the much-celebrated Kansas City “life sciences” effort, with emphasis on the proteomics initiative, will be stunted, if not derailed.