Important information about former physician and UCLA’s response

To the Campus Community: Our university's first and highest obligation is to the communities we serve. And so, it is with a profound sense of sadness that we report distressing information. Dr. James Heaps, a physician formerly employed by UCLA, has been charged with sexual battery in connection with his medical practice and today surrendered to law enforcement. Dr. Heaps was an obstetrician-gynecologist who worked on a part-time basis at the UCLA student health center from approximately 1983 to 2010, was hired by UCLA Health in 2014 and held medical staff privileges at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center from 1988 to 2018. We understand that these charges relate to care he provided to two patients in 2017 and 2018 at UCLA Health. Last year, in response to allegations of sexual misconduct against Dr. Heaps, UCLA investigated his conduct, removed him from clinical practice, informed him that his employment was being terminated (after which he announced he was retiring) and reported him to the Medical Board of California and law enforcement. Sexual abuse in any form is unacceptable and represents an inexcusable breach of the physician-patient relationship.