Q: What most notably stands out about your organization as an innovation, opportunity or service that improves or better delivers healthcare to Arizonans? Optum empowers us to determine locally the care we provide and where care is most needed. I’m an Arizona native. I fondly remember cruising Metro Parkway as a teen. Over time, Metro Center became an area underserved by … [More]
Jessyca Leach
Chief Executive Officer, Prisma Community Care
Q: What most notably stands out about your organization as an innovation, opportunity or service that improves or better delivers healthcare to Arizonans? Prisma Community Care is dedicated to ensuring that every Arizonan has access to affirming, high-quality healthcare that respects their unique needs and lived experiences. We are pioneers in delivering integrated, … [More]
Todd LaPorte
Chief Executive Officer, HonorHealth
Q: What most notably stands out about your organization as an innovation, opportunity or service that improves or better delivers healthcare to Arizonans? HonorHealth is committed to advancing healthcare by delivering high-quality outcomes and expanding access through patient-centered, innovative solutions. One of our most notable achievements is the HonorHealth Research … [More]
Pam Kehaly
President & CEO, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona
Q: What most notably stands out about your organization as an innovation, opportunity or service that improves or better delivers healthcare to Arizonans? Arizonans deserve a health system that delivers more health for less money. That’s why AZ Blue is moving into care delivery with nine Prosano Health Advanced Primary Care Center locations. The 2024 results speak for … [More]
Michael D. Jones
President & CEO, Delta Dental of Arizona
Q: What most notably stands out about your organization as an innovation, opportunity or service that improves or better delivers healthcare to Arizonans? At Delta Dental of Arizona, innovation isn’t just about new products, it’s about driving meaningful change that improves the health and well-being of Arizonans. For more than 50 years, we’ve been the trusted leader in dental … [More]
Richard J. Gray, M.D.
CEO of Mayo Clinic in AZ and VP of Mayo Clinic Mayo Clinic
Q: What most notably stands out about your organization as an innovation, opportunity or service that improves or better delivers healthcare to Arizonans? Mayo Clinic is proud to be recognized as a leader in medical innovation, patient-centered care and cutting-edge research, continuously redefining healthcare excellence in the region. Patients come to us seeking our Mayo … [More]
Dr. Sherine Gabriel
Executive Vice President, Arizona State University – ASU Health
Q: What most notably stands out about your organization as an innovation, opportunity or service that improves or better delivers healthcare to Arizonans? What stands out is not “an innovation” but innovation itself. When Michael Crow became the 16th president of ASU on July 1, 2002, he set out to create the New American University, a new model for public universities that is … [More]
April 2025 Guest Editor: Ann-Marie Alameddin, Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association
Leading Healthcare Innovation in healthcare is a constant. And what we see in Arizona is some of the most cutting-edge advances on both the patient and administrative sides — making Arizonans healthier and the workplace a better place. Innovation in healthcare is transforming the lives of Arizonans. This edition highlights some of the top innovators shaping the future of … [More]
Office Design Enhances Holistic Dental Experience
Swiss Biologic Dentistry has created an office environment that syncs with its innovative, holistic approach to dental care, which combines cutting-edge dental science with a commitment to overall health and patient well-being. While the fundamental principles of dental health remain, the practice goes above and beyond with a range of treatments and materials that actively … [More]
DEI Under Fire: What the Backlash Could Mean for Rehab Therapy in Arizona
Over the past several months, diversity, equity and inclusion efforts have encountered an undeniable plummet across multiple industries, including healthcare. With federal funding cuts and policy rollbacks taking hold, many organizations — including some here in Arizona — are pulling back from these initiatives, leaving a noticeable void in efforts to improve accessibility and … [More]
New CEO Named at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital
LaDessa Forrest has been appointed as chief executive officer of Encompass Health Valley of the Sun Rehabilitation Hospital. The 75-bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital is located at 13460 North 67th Ave. in Glendale, Arizona. The hospital holds The Joint Commission’s Disease-Specific Certification in Stroke, Brain Injury, Amputee and Cardiac Rehabilitation. “I look forward … [More]
New Residential Center in Peoria Expands Access to Life-Saving Care
Horizon Recovery, Arizona's premier provider of adolescent mental health and addiction recovery services, announced the opening of its new $3 million Deer Valley Residential Treatment Center in Peoria, creating 15 new healthcare jobs and adding vital capacity to address the state's growing youth mental health crisis. The 10-bed co-ed facility at 22201 North 91st Ave. in … [More]
Partnership Aims to Provide a Second Chance to Previously Incarcerated Individuals
Scottsdale Recovery Center, a leading provider of addiction treatment and recovery services, announced its partnership with the Arizona Department of Corrections Rehabilitation and Reentry for the health justice re-entry program. This transformative initiative aims to support individuals transitioning out of incarceration by providing them with essential resources to … [More]
Mayo Clinic Announces Transformative $1.9B Investment in Arizona, Reimagining Healthcare
Mayo Clinic announced a nearly $1.9 billion investment in the continued transformation of its Phoenix campus as part of its Bold. Forward. strategy to Cure, Connect and Transform healthcare for the benefit of patients everywhere. Bold. Forward. Unbound. in Arizona will enable new innovative care concepts, physical spaces and integrated technologies to create seamless care … [More]
Intensive Special Needs Training for Oral Health Providers
Arizona’s community health dentists and local nonprofits often face challenges when it comes to accessing dental training and continuing education. To increase access to care, Delta Dental of Arizona, through its Foundation, recently funded 20 scholarships supporting 10 community health centers, public health clinics and oral health nonprofit programs across Arizona to take … [More]
Medical Manufacturer Funds Its Own Patient Assistance Program
BioLab Sciences, a skin substitute brand of BioLab Holdings, Inc., a Mesa-based medical manufacturer specializing in wound healing and wound care products, recently launched its Charity Care initiative. The Patient Assistance Program was created to help patients who are uninsured and without the financial means to access BioLab’s advanced wound care products. “Our goal is to … [More]
Rehabilitation Hospital in Florida Extends Its Footprint by Adding a Facility on Mayo Clinic’s Phoenix Campus
Brooks Rehabilitation, nationally acclaimed for its expertise in treating life-changing injuries and complex medical conditions, held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new cutting-edge, 80,000-square-foot inpatient rehabilitation hospital on Mayo Clinic’s Phoenix campus. Ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the No. 1 rehabilitation hospital in Florida and among the top 20 … [More]
Banner MD Anderson Unveils ‘Wellness Center’ in Its Home Away from Home Community
Cancer patients living in Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Home Away from Home community now have a new space to gather and heal. The wellness center was recently built with the goal of giving patients, caregivers and their families a shared place to rest, connect and support one another. The new space adds to the community of eight private homes generously built, furnished … [More]
