SE Valley Times

Arizona State University (ASU) and the city of Phoenix have announced the location for the ASU Health headquarters. The new facility is expected to be a central hub for improving health outcomes in the region. ASU President Michael Crow stated that the headquarters will be situated in downtown Phoenix, bordered by Fillmore and Pierce streets to the north and south, and Fourth and Fifth streets to the east and west. It is scheduled to open by fall 2028.

Crow emphasized that this project is not merely about building a medical or public health school but about leveraging ASU's innovative assets to address new challenges. "We’re trying to take the assets of the most innovative university that the United States has had and apply it to the new class of problems," he said.

Dr. Sherine Gabriel, executive vice president of ASU Health, described the headquarters as an "incredible milestone" in transforming medical education. The initiative was initially announced in May 2023 at an Arizona Board of Regents meeting and aims to advance healthcare through research, discovery, and treatment while aligning with Arizona's AZ Healthy Tomorrow initiative.

ABOR Chair Cecilia Mata remarked on the significance of this development: “Today’s announcement is about impacting lives and making a real difference in our communities.” She highlighted how advanced tools will improve health outcomes for Arizonans.

The site chosen for ASU Health is within Phoenix's Bioscience Core innovation zone. Mayor Kate Gallego noted that this move promises job creation and economic growth: “Within 10 years, results will create nearly 200,000 jobs and add $19 billion to the state GDP.”

The headquarters will host two main schools: The School of Medicine and Advanced Medical Engineering, which integrates various disciplines including technology; and The School of Technology for Public Health focused on digital technology integration in public health. These schools are designed with input from national industry leaders like Dr. Susan Blumenthal and Sir Malcolm Grant.

Gabriel emphasized preparing students for future healthcare needs by incorporating diverse disciplines beyond traditional medical training. She mentioned collaboration across different colleges within ASU as crucial for advancing health standards.

HonorHealth CEO Todd LaPorte discussed potential collaborative innovations such as virtual surgery simulations with ASU Health students. He expressed optimism about shared expertise leading to advancements like new medical device technologies.

Gabriel also mentioned plans for a community-facing aspect where public members could access information on health issues directly at the headquarters.

Rick Naimark from ASU outlined additional features planned for this 200,000-square-foot facility including administrative offices, classrooms, labs, simulation centers replicating real-world medical environments aimed at providing practical training experiences akin to astronaut training programs.

Naimark concluded with aspirations that this center would become pivotal in discussions around Arizonan health improvements: “We hope...that this will be center of universe regarding dialogue relating specifically towards enhancing wellbeing particularly among residents here.”