Key Initiatives to Advance Women’s Health Care

Banner – University Medicine is committed to meeting the health care needs of women in Southern Arizona by advancing three key initiatives in Tucson:

Women’s Health Patient Navigation Program

Cardiology, Urology, and OB-GYN clinic enhancements

Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship

Philanthropic Investment: $1.3 million

Patient Navigation: The Cornerstone of Coordinated Care

Banner seeks to establish a Women’s Health Navigation Program in Tucson that focuses on screening as the gateway to women’s health. Initial focus areas will be mammography, gynecology, heart and stroke, and bone density screenings for female patients at Banner primary care clinics.

If a screening exam is positive, Women’s Health Navigators will be incorporated into the patient’s care team to provide a single point of contact offering support and guidance through every step of their health care journey.

We will initiate the program with five Nurse Navigators and two Patient Navigators, with plans to expand as patient volume grows. Nurse Navigators will facilitate and coordinate clinical care while Patient Navigators will provide administrative support such as scheduling appointments, obtaining records, etc. These Women’s Health Navigators will provide support across all specialty areas and receive the appropriate training to provide the best possible care and service.

This impactful initiative requires philanthropic investment of $1.3 million. Banner Health will invest an additional $1.2 million to launch and sustain the program over time.

“For both the patient and caregiver, Patient Navigation makes the health care and hospital environments seem more personal and caring. Sometimes patients forget to ask a question of their physician or think of other questions after they see them. Patient Navigators can answer complicated questions directly, relay messages between patients and their care team, give simple instructions, and make follow-up appointments—saving time for patients and providers.”

NANCY DAVIS Tucson resident and care partner

Philanthropic Investment: $400,000

Cardiology, Urology and OB-GYN Clinic Enhancements

In many of our larger Cardiology, Urology and OB-GYN clinics, creating a warm and welcoming environment can be challenging due to the sheer size of the clinic spaces. To create a more inviting environment, we seek to modify our check-in and rooming process to be more individualized and welcoming. We will also create dedicated clinic exam rooms designed to give female patients a more relaxing and soothing experience. This includes expanding gown choices for female patients, using softer colors and fabrics, utilizing a hand-held paging system for more personalized check-in, and in our OB-GYN clinics, painting accent walls in relaxing colors.

Philanthropic Investment: $100,000/year

Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship

Banner – University Medical Center Tucson and the University of Arizona College of Medicine are partnering to develop a Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship led by Dr. Christian Twiss and Dr. Joel Funk, with adjunct faculty, Dr. Ilana Addis and Dr. John Heusinkveld. This fellowship will provide extensive training in the comprehensive evaluation and treatment of pelvic floor disorders, including urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapses, complex voiding dysfunction, and complex pelvic reconstruction. This will include the latest open, transvaginal, and robotic surgical techniques, including non-mesh techniques to address pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence.