Guest ContributorIn 2015, Banner Health and the University of Arizona launched a strategic partnership with a bold vision: to reshape healthcare delivery, expand academic medicine, and build a robust pipeline of medical professionals for Arizona. Ten years later, the results point to a significant and measurable impact.
According to a new study by Rounds Consulting Group, the partnership has generated over $59 billion in total economic impact for the state. It has also created and sustained 35,500 annual operating jobs and 12,600 construction jobs, delivering lasting benefits to Arizona’s workforce and infrastructure.
Over the past decade, the partnership has been positioned as a national model for how academic institutions and health systems can align to strengthen healthcare delivery and workforce development.
“This partnership is proof that when Arizona’s institutions work together, we can make a lasting impact for our state and its people,” said Doug Goodyear, chair, Arizona Board of Regents. “The work Banner and the U of A have done over the past decade stands as a model for how public and private institutions can work together to address critical needs and deliver measurable results for the communities they serve.”
Capital investments, clinical expansion
A cornerstone of the Banner–U of A collaboration has been $2.4 billion in capital investments, including major upgrades to aging facilities and the development of cutting-edge educational and clinical infrastructure. Of this total, $2 billion was contributed by Banner Health and $400 million by the University of Arizona, funding projects that modernize care delivery and expand access across the state.
These investments created not only thousands of jobs in construction, engineering, and procurement but also an estimated $2.8 billion in economic output tied to equipment, materials, and services.
The partnership has also played a pivotal role in expanding healthcare access, with 22.6 million patient engagements reported over the last decade. Today, Banner–University Medicine supports approximately 33,000 direct and indirect jobs, positioning Banner Health as the largest private employer in Arizona.
“We are very proud of the impact our partnership with Banner Health has had over the past 10 years,” said U of A President Suresh Garimella. “Academic medicine gives students hands-on experience at the cutting edge of health care, advances fundamental discovery and clinical research, and enables the best quality clinical care. Together, we’re equipping future health leaders with the skills and adaptability they’ll need to thrive in a rapidly evolving field and meeting the needs of patients in Arizona and beyond.”
A homegrown talent pipeline
At the core of the Banner–U of A alliance is a shared commitment to workforce development. Since 2015, more than 1,900 physicians and healthcare professionals have graduated from the U of A Colleges of Medicine in Tucson and Phoenix. As of 2024, an estimated 1,100 of these graduates are practicing in Arizona, reinforcing the state’s healthcare system from within.
Medical school enrollment has surged nearly 40% since the partnership began, while the number of residency and fellowship positions has grown from 990 to over 1,200. Thousands of nursing and pharmacy students also receive clinical training at Banner facilities annually, directly addressing critical workforce shortages.
Arizona State’s new medical school joins the field
As the University of Arizona and Banner Health celebrate a decade of measurable success, Arizona’s academic medicine landscape is preparing for a major new player.
Arizona State University’s School of Medicine and Advanced Medical Engineering has officially received preliminary accreditation and will welcome its first class in 2026.
The school recently secured a nine-figure naming gift from Dr. John Shufeldt, an Arizona-based physician and healthcare entrepreneur. His donation will fund scholarships, faculty hiring, and state-of-the-art facilities to help establish the school as a national leader in technologically integrated medical training.
The new medical school will work closely with HonorHealth as its primary clinical partner.
This initiative, alongside the decade-long success of the Banner–University of Arizona alliance, positions Arizona as a rising hub for academic medicine and medical workforce innovation.
AZ Healthy Tomorrow: A statewide vision for Arizona’s healthy future
Complementing these institutional efforts is AZ Healthy Tomorrow, ABOR’s initiative focused on building the state’s health care workforce and improving health outcomes and access for all Arizonans. It is estimated that nearly 3 million Arizonans lack adequate access to primary care, and more than one in three hospitals faces severe staffing shortages.
The multi-faceted health care initiative led by ABOR includes major growth and new investment by each of the state’s public universities, significant partnerships with the private sector and the support from the state government. By aligning with academic medicine and health systems, AZ Healthy Tomorrow seeks to ensure that the expansion of medical, nursing and allied health programs at Arizona’s public universities translates into healthier communities.
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