Dr. Roderick Tung

Q: What most notably stands out about your organization as an innovation, opportunity or service that improves or better delivers healthcare to Arizonans?

For the fifth largest city in the country, Phoenix has never had the traditional academic medical center landscape as NYC, Chicago and LA. Banner – University Medicine was designed through the integration with UA College of Medicine to build the premier university-based flagship center by attracting talented physicians who care deeply about personalized clinical care, innovative research and educating the next generation of physicians.

Banner – University Medicine Heart Institute is quickly becoming a treatment destination center for people across Arizona and across the nation needing care for the most complex cardiovascular conditions. We believe that a destination for life should be a destination for healthcare.

Groundbreaking ablation therapy for the most complex heart rhythm disorders.

Resolving failures in initial treatment patients received at other hospitals- center for tertiary and quaternary care.

Creation of valve program with team-based approach between advanced imaging, cardiac surgery and interventional experts.

Providing the most advanced services and facilities with state-of-the-art technology.

Leader in developing and using the most advanced artificial heart technology and heart transplantation.

Q: Tell us about your known style of leadership or philosophy on being a strong leader for your organization. Tell us about a specific program, leadership policy or practice that has directly benefited healthcare outcomes in Arizona.

My own philosophy is that medicine is best practiced as a team sport and we should strive to build a new brand of academic medicine culture that is inspiring, innovative, cohesive and fun for all. We should constantly challenge the status quo both scientifically, strategically and operationally. We are unified by our vision to emerge as a top ten destination for heart care and transform the way that healthcare is delivered not only in Arizona, but across the U.S.

Some of the innovations and investments at the Banner – University Medicine Heart Institute that have benefitted Arizonans include:

Cardio-Oncology Program: Created with MD Andersen Gateway to provide specialized cardiac care for cancer patients that suffer from heart disease and also require chemo/immunotherapy that has cardiac-specific risks. This is a new field that is growing quickly, as cardiovascular disease and cancer are the Nos. 1 and 2 causes of death, and so many of our patients have both diseases. There are many important nuances in the management of such delicate patients that require timely, tailored, and personalized approaches.

Cardio-Metabolic Program: Created through the support of the Banner Health Foundation, we launched a first-ever weight management program for patients with heart conditions, as the percentage of Americans that are overweight approaches 70%. So many common conditions such as diabetes, sleep apnea, atrial fibrillation and heart failure have increased prevalence in patients suffering from obesity and are all inter-related. In the current U.S. healthcare system, patients too often fall through the cracks along their weight loss journey. We strongly believe that a team-based multi-pronged approach across the disciplines of cardiology, metabolism, endocrinology, psychology, sleep medicine and bariatric surgery can change the paradigm for the country. Enrollment into our program streamlines access for patients at one facility in Arcadia and holds promise to be a new model for prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease.

Q: What do you feel a healthy Arizona workforce and families can mean for Arizona’s growth?

Having lived on both coasts and being from the Midwest, it is such an exciting time in history to be in State 48. We have a real opportunity to deliver healthcare in different ways to ensure that we keep our workforce and families healthy. Banner is the largest employer in the state, and we hope that we can improve overall health through local clinics that complement community practice, social awareness campaigns, community events and educational channels.

Q: What is on the horizon for your organization?

We are opening the first university-based cardiovascular ambulatory surgical center (ASC) in May at our Arcadia location. ASCs offer patients a more concierge experience, reduce costs for the U.S. healthcare system, and further align physicians and their organizations to deliver the highest value of care. Patients will undergo diagnostic and therapeutic procedures such as angiography, angioplasty, pacemaker and defibrillator implantation, and catheter ablation at the Banner Cardiovascular Center, which is integrated within our Banner Health Center Plus clinic offices one floor above.