Banner merger means new names for local hospitals

That name is Banner-University Medical Center Tucson, officials announced Tuesday.

Pending an approval this month by the Arizona Board of Regents on a merger to bring the University of Arizona Health Network into Phoenix-based Banner Health, the new name for the hospital that houses Southern Arizona’s only top-level trauma center will take effect when the merger is complete — a date estimated to be Feb. 27.

A new Banner-University Medicine Division within the organization will include Banner-University Medical Center Tucson as well as two other hospitals:

• University of Arizona Medical Center-South Campus (formerly known as Kino Hospital and University Physicians Healthcare Hospital at Kino), 2800 E. Ajo Way, will now be called Banner-University Medical Center South.
• Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center in Phoenix will become Banner-University Medical Center Phoenix.

Banner officials also announced leadership news, including the post-merger departure of current UA Health Network president and CEO Dr. Michael Waldrum. A news release says Waldrum turned down a job offer from Banner.

Other leadership changes:

• The merger closure will bring Kathy Bollinger into the position of president of the Banner-University Medicine Division. Bollinger has been president of Banner’s Arizona West Division for six years.

• Tom Dickson will be CEO at the Banner-University Medical Center Tucson and South campuses. He’s currently CEO of Banner Thunderbird Medical Center in Glendale Dickson will replace current CEO Karen Mlawsky, who is moving into another role within Banner as CEO of Banner Desert Medical Center in Mesa                       

• Dr. Steve Narang will continue in his role as CEO at Banner-University Medical Center Phoenix (formerly Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center).

• Jeff Buehrle, Banner’s chief financial officer for the Arizona East Division, will become the CFO for the Banner-University Medicine Division.

• Cathy Townsend, chief nursing officer at Banner Boswell Medical Center in Sun City, Arizona, will move to Tucson as the chief nursing officer for Banner-University Medical Center Tucson and South campuses.

• Dr. Jason Krupp will become CEO of Banner-University Medical Group. Krupp comes from Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center in Phoenix, where he served as chief medical officer.

• Dr. Robert Groves will become chief medical officer for the Banner-University Medicine Division. Groves will also continue his Banner system responsibilities as vice president of health management.

• An Academic Management Council will also be created after the merger, to oversee faculty operations and activities associated with teaching, research and clinical care within Banner-University Medicine, the new division of Banner Health that will focus on academic medicine.

University of Arizona President Ann Weaver Hart released a statement Tuesday that said the Academic Management Council will replace the University Physicians Healthcare board, which governs the medical group that staffs the UA Medical Center with physicians from the UA.

Hart has appointed three members to the Academic Management Council — Dr. Alex Chiu, who is a professor and chair of otolaryngology at the University of Arizona’s College of Medicine in Tucson; Gregg Goldman, senior vice president for business affairs and CFO of the UA; and Dr. Charles Cairns, vice dean for clinical affairs at the UA College of Medicine in Tucson.

“I have chosen three people who will lead this statewide partnership to success and guide the changes we are making to the culture and operations of academic medicine for a new era,” Hart wrote.

She also wrote that Banner Health President and CEO Peter S. Fine will be appointing the three Banner leaders to the Academic Management Council: Bollinger; Dennis Dahlen, senior vice president and chief financial officer of Banner Health; and Dr. John Hensing, executive vice president and chief medical officer for Banner Health.