With an approval by the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) on the merger agreement to bring the University of Arizona Health Network into Banner Health, and closure of the agreement on Feb. 27, an academic-focused division will be created at Banner that will result in new facility names and leadership appointments within the division. The ABOR vote is expected to occur during the week of Jan. 26.

If ABOR approves, the closure of the agreement on Feb. 27 will launch the Banner – University Medicine Division.  It will include three academic medical centers, a physician group serving as faculty in the academic medical centers and at the University of Arizona Colleges of Medicine in Tucson and Phoenix, and other services.

New Names

The name changes for the academic medical centers and physician group after Feb. 27:

• University of Arizona Medical Center – University Campus, to become Banner – University Medical Center Tucson
• University of Arizona Medical Center – South Campus, to become Banner – University Medical Center South
• Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center, to become Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix
• University of Arizona Physicians, to become Banner – University Medical Group

“We recognize that Banner Good Samaritan employees and physicians will refer to the hospital as ‘Good Sam,’” said Banner Health President and CEO Peter S. Fine. “But, going forward, the future of this institution is clearly defined and identified in its new name as the designated academic medical center for the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix.”

This new division will include more than 1,400 licensed hospital beds, more than 10,000 employees, and more than 800 faculty physicians in Phoenix and Tucson.  Other divisions within Banner include Arizona West with four hospitals, Arizona East with eight hospitals and the Western Division with 14 hospitals. Thirteen of the Western Division hospitals are in six states outside of Arizona. All of these divisions also include many other Banner Health services.

Leadership Appointments – Tucson
•The merger closure will bring Kathy Bollinger into the position of President of the Banner – University Medicine Division. Bollinger is moving into this new post after six years as President of Banner’s Arizona West Division.
• Michael Waldrum, MD, current President and CEO of University of Arizona Health Network, whose role will dissolve with the merger, has chosen not to pursue an executive leadership position within Banner and will leave his post with the closure of the merger.

“While we are excited by the strengths Kathy Bollinger will bring to her role leading a large, complex and new division, we are also grateful for the inspired, dedicated and courageous leadership Michael Waldrum displayed in helping to negotiate the agreement and transition UAHN into Banner,” said Fine. “We know Dr. Waldrum will be sought after for his skills and we look forward to his continued success as a health care leader.”

“It’s been my privilege and pleasure to serve as CEO of the UA Health Network these past two years and to see this complex merger come to fruition,” Dr. Waldrum said. “I am proud to have played a part in it and am certain it will benefit Tucson, the University of Arizona, and especially our patients.  I’m leaving Tucson knowing that Kathy Bollinger and other leaders of the Banner – University Medicine Division are well poised to take academic medicine to new heights in this state.”

Other executives of the new Banner – University Medicine Division include:
• Tom Dickson will join the Banner – University Medicine Division executive team as Chief Executive Officer at the Banner – University Medical Center Tucson and South campuses (479 and 245 licensed beds, respectively).  Dickson is moving into this role from his post as CEO of Banner Thunderbird Medical Center, a 561-bed (licensed) hospital in Glendale, Ariz. He will replace current CEO Karen Mlawsky who is moving into another senior executive role within Banner (see Phoenix area section of the release).
• Steve Narang, MD will continue in his role as Chief Executive Officer at Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix (known as Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center until close on February 27). Narang was named CEO at Banner Good Samaritan in 2013 and prior to that he served as Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Cardon Children’s Medical Center in Mesa.
• Jeff Buehrle, Banner’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for the Arizona East Division, will become the CFO for the Banner – University Medicine Division.
• Cathy Townsend RN, Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) at Banner Boswell Medical Center, a 501-bed hospital in Sun City, Ariz., will move to Tucson as the CNO for Banner – University Medical Center Tucson and South campuses.
• Another new division appointment is Jason Krupp, MD, who will become Chief Executive Officer of Banner – University Medical Group. Dr. Krupp comes from Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center in Phoenix, where he served as Chief Medical Officer (CMO). Prior to this position, Dr. Krupp was CMO at Banner Boswell Medical Center for two years. He is also well-known in Tucson medical circles from previous positions as CMO at Tucson Medical Center and Clinical Services Chief of General Medicine at the University of Arizona.
• Robert Groves, MD, will become Chief Medical Officer for the Banner – University Medicine Division. Dr. Groves will serve in this new role while continuing his Banner system responsibilities as Vice President of Health Management, in which he provides physician leadership for population health management, medical informatics, telemedicine strategies and reliable design of clinical care delivery.
• Beth Stiner will serve as Vice President of Human Resources for the Banner – University Medicine Division. She has served as Chief Human Resources Officer for Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center and as Chief Human Resources Officer for the UAHN integration activities.

Leadership Appointments – Phoenix Area
• Rob Gould, currently the CEO of Banner Desert Medical Center, a 639-bed (licensed) hospital, will become the new President of Banner’s Arizona West Division. Gould also served as CEO of Banner Estrella and held other leadership roles at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital in Alaska, which is operated by Banner Health.
• Current CEO of University of Arizona Medical Center – University and South Campuses, Karen Mlawsky will become the CEO of Banner Desert Medical Center.
• Deb Krmpotic, CEO of Banner Estrella Medical Center, a 301-bed (licensed) hospital in west Phoenix, will move to the Banner Thunderbird CEO post in Glendale.
• Courtney Ophaug, currently an associate administrator at Banner Boswell, will become the new CEO at Banner Estrella.

Other appointments into vacated positions will be announced as these positions are filled.

List of new leadership appointments:
• Kathy Bollinger, President, Banner – University Medicine Division
• Tom Dickson, CEO, Banner –  University Medical Center Tucson and South campuses
• Jeff Buehrle, CFO, Banner – University Medicine Division
• Beth Stiner, Vice President, Human Resources, Banner –  University Medicine Division
• Robert Groves, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Banner – University Medicine Division
• Cathy Townsend, RN, CNO, Banner –  University Medical Center Tucson and South campuses
• Jason Krupp, MD, CEO, Banner – University Medical Group
• Rob Gould, President, Arizona West Division
• Karen Mlawsky, CEO, Banner Desert Medical Center
• Deb Krmpotic, CEO, Banner Thunderbird Medical Center
• Courtney Ophaug, CEO, Banner Estrella Medical Center

* Division executive appointments will take effect with the closure of the merger. Between now and the closure, newly identified leaders will be introducing themselves to their new colleagues through the division as well as community leaders. However, these newly identified leaders will not become involved in operational decision-making until the merger closure.