President's Message

From Alison Lewis

Alison Lewis, BOARD CHAIR

Dear WISH Members,

The real measure of success is the strength of our relationships, the impact of our actions, and our willingness to pursue meaningful experiences.

While the originator of this quote is not defined, it’s rather widely circulated on social media. I found it very fitting about WISH as we rapidly approach the close of another successful year.

Not only have we added 18 new members since July alone, but their diverse backgrounds, skills and personal interests will certainly enrich WISH and advance our mission.

I’m also seeing so much more networking, easy conversations and good old-fashioned fun at our events. We’re about that, too! I am anticipating even greater social and professional connections made at our upcoming WISH Retreat: Breathe, Balance and Brunch. Non-member tickets are still available. So, please continue to spread the word.

In October, we hosted WISH member and Banner Health’s new President & CEO, Amy Perry, as our esteemed guest speaker. Amy is one of three female health care system CEOs in the nation to lead an enterprise of Banner’s size and scope—a fact that received enthusiastic applause from the members of WISH. Amy shared that it was Banner’s compelling mission that really inspired her and shared that Banner is an organization that truly invests in the community – referencing the nearly $1 billion worth of community benefits that Banner provides annually without any reimbursement.

I could not have been more proud to learn about Banner’s commitment to access and affordability and the new 10-year strategic vision. WISH mirrors Banner’s values and directly plays a role in making a difference in health care. To see your own investment, time and talent in action, please make it a priority to attend our Annual Allocation Event on Tuesday, December 5 at 2 p.m. at Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix, where we will decide together how to direct our treasure from the past year to Banner programs and services. We will also have a holiday reception following our allocation process to enjoy one another’s company.

As always, if there is a topic that greatly interests you, or a Banner Health physician or other health care-related professional whose work you admire or would like to learn more about, I welcome those ideas for WISH activities and programs. At any time throughout the year, reach out to me or other Board members. I hope to see you all at the upcoming retreat and allocation event.

Thank you for your continued involvement, enthusiasm and dedication to WISH.

Sincerely,
Alison Lewis

Alison is a philanthropist, focused on education and the arts. She is also involved with nonprofit organizations that are innovative and serve a diverse audience with an emphasis on the underserved. Additionally, she manages two family foundations, is the Past Board Chair for Scottsdale Arts, the Vice Chair for Tonto Creek Camp, an outdoor STEM camp, Vice-Chair for the C4 Foundation which supports active Navy SEALS and their families, and a board member of the Banner Health Foundation.

In case you missed it: “Taking Care of the Community with Amy Perry”

Thank you to those who joined us at our October Lunch and Learn program – Taking Care of the Community – featuring Amy Perry, President & CEO of Banner Health. We hope you found the program informative, the company engaging, and the food enjoyable. For those who might have missed it, you can view the gallery of event photos here.

As Amy takes the reins of the vast Banner Health system, she offered her vision of what the future will hold for Banner, engaging the audience with the opportunity to ask direct questions. She spoke at length about how Banner is seeking to “make health care easier” by focusing on affordability and access for millions of patients. Amy explained that, although Banner has an annual revenue of approximately $15 billion, its profit margin in only 2% -- if all areas of the company are running smoothly. With that very slim margin, she shared that a top priority is to invest $1 billion in digital infrastructure, data, and systems. This will modernize the care delivery model and improve patient experiences and medical outcomes. Watch the video Amy shared during her presentation.



Banner is also training more than 1,300 physicians through residencies and adding more than 250 fellowship positions; and, she shared details of important discussions she's held recently with Arizona State University President Michael Crow, stating that “high school graduation is the single largest determinant in health outcomes” for our community.

Each WISH program is part of a series that raises awareness of women's and family health issues through education and philanthropic support. Since creating WISH in 2014, women like you from across the Valley, with diverse backgrounds and interests, have joined us to learn, network, and support important health care initiatives in partnership with Banner Health. Together, we have raised and awarded over $1.4 million to benefit a multitude of Banner programs important to women and their families.

Meet WISH Member and Board Chair, Alison Lewis

As interviewed by WISH Member Alisa Timm

Q: You have a heart for philanthropic work. Who most influenced you to get involved?

I grew up in a home where my parents modeled philanthropy in many ways. My mother, through active involvement and my father, more subtly, by helping people “behind the scenes.” These positive memories led me and later my husband Craig to be among the founding members of Social Venture Partners Arizona (svpaz.org), which supports innovative start-up nonprofits that are making an impact in areas of education and/or children. The support comes both with funding and us lending our expertise to help the organizations grow and succeed. I have a passion for discerning the specific support needed by growing organizations and then rallying people to help them and to provide opportunities to engage according to their talents. I’ve been involved with nonprofit organizations that began with two people and a great idea, that now have national and international impact.

I was recently able to help raise awareness of the lack of books, learning tools and internet access for children in remote areas, including parts of Africa, which was hampering their access to education. Through funding a solar-powered library, hundreds of happy children and their communities now have access to opportunities they otherwise would never have.

Q: WISH has distributed over $1.4 million dollars to various groups typically in amounts of $25,000 to $75,000 per year to provide direct support to programs that focus on Alzheimer’s, women’s health issues and research. What are some of the more memorable ones that stand out to you?

I loved all the programs funded by WISH, but I’m particularly fond of the Banner Children’s Healthmobile, because of my passion for the little ones. I was heartbroken by the story of a young boy who hid the fact that his leg was broken from his mom because he knew they didn’t have the money for health care. When his mom finally noticed his limp and he confessed, she brought him to the Healthmobile where he was able to get help quickly, including next-day surgery, at minimal cost. Hearing the personal stories feeds my spirit of philanthropy and inspires me to continue to work on issues and advocate for education and children’s issues.

Banner Health implants innovative Total Artificial Heart in FDA study

Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix is third hospital in world to implant BiVACOR Total Artificial Heart

Banner – University Medical Phoenix recently became the third hospital in the world to successfully implant the BiVACOR Total Artificial Heart in a human. The new artificial heart device is part of a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) early feasibility study made up of five patients to evaluate its safety and efficacy.

Fifty-one-year-old Stephan Crudup of Tempe was implanted with the BiVACOR device in August. Crudup, who was suffering from severe heart failure, experienced a smooth recovery from the implantation procedure. He ultimately received a heart transplant after being supported by the artificial device for nearly a month.

“I’m thriving, surviving, and living better than I was with my sick heart,” Crudup said. “It’s astounding to be a part of such incredible medical research, and I’m grateful to the amazing care team that’s helped me here at Banner.”

The groundbreaking milestone was carried out by the Banner – University Medicine Advanced Heart Failure Program team under the leadership of Dr. Francisco Arabia, physician executive for the program.

“As a leading destination in the Southwest for heart transplantation, we are constantly looking for ways to advance the future of medicine and improve outcomes for our patients,” Dr. Arabia said. “The BiVACOR Total Artificial Heart is a promising device for heart failure patients, and we’re proud to be on the forefront of investigating its performance for this landmark study.”

Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix implements innovative device to detect seizures

Ceribell System uses artificial intelligence to monitor dangerous seizure activity

An innovative device powered by artificial intelligence is helping doctors and medical staff at Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix provide better care for critically ill neurological patients.

The hospital recently started using the Ceribell System, an FDA-cleared electroencephalography (EEG) tool that monitors and detects non-convulsive seizures. Up to 92% of seizures in acute care settings are non-convulsive, with minimal or no observable evidence, often making diagnosis challenging.

The portable device consists of a headset that is placed on a patient and connected to a recorder which provides continuous monitoring for status epilepticus, or a seizure lasting longer than five minutes. This serious medical emergency can lead to severe, permanent brain damage and potentially death. The device can be easily applied to a patient in minutes and is typically used for about two hours on patients who are in an altered mental state and at risk of suffering from seizures.

Because time is critical when it comes to diagnosing and treating these types of patients, the Ceribell device plays a crucial role in mitigating several factors for bedside providers. It alerts when a patient is actively seizing and allows physicians to make faster and more informed clinical decisions, resulting in better overall outcomes.

Another important aspect of the device is its ability to help providers accurately rule out seizures in a patient. This can prevent over-treatment of patients who may not need interventions such as intubation and increased medication, both of which may increase length of stay.

The Ceribell System is not meant to replace conventional EEG monitoring; it is a complementary tool that enables expanded EEG coverage throughout the hospital. While traditional EEG machines require trained technologists and are often a limited resource that take more time to set up, Ceribell helps care teams be more efficient, resulting in higher quality of care and ultimately reducing time in the hospital.

“The Ceribell System has proven to be a game changer for how we assess and treat critically ill neurological patients at the bedside,” said Dr. Khalid Alsherbini, a neurologist at Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix. “The amount of time and resources this device is helping us save is critical and allows us to form the best possible care plan. We’re thrilled to be utilizing Ceribell and look forward to seeing how it will continue to have a positive impact on both patients and our clinical efficiency.”