After a national search, the University of Arizona Department of Family and Community Medicine and Banner – University Medicine have appointed Ann Mathias, DO, clinical assistant professor, as associate chair of clinical affairs.
In her new role, Dr. Mathias will oversee the clinical operations for all Banner – University Medicine family medicine clinics and family medicine clinical service lines.
“Dr. Mathias brings more than two decades of experience practicing in, and leading large family medicine practices to this key leadership role,” said Myra Muramoto, MD, MPH, professor and chair, UA Department of Family and Community Medicine. “In addition, she brings extensive expertise in quality improvement, practice improvement, new models of health-care payment, integrated behavioral health models and teaching residents and medical students. These skills are all essential to our practice going forward.”
“Timely, high-quality primary care is important to our Tucson patients and it’s a top priority for us,” said Scott Hofferber, chief executive officer of Banner – University Medical Group. “Dr. Mathias brings a wealth of clinical experience and leadership to our family medicine clinics all over town.”
Dr. Mathias will continue as the family medicine liaison to Banner – University Medicine Multispecialty Clinic at Pantano and Banner – University Medicine Multispecialty Clinic at North Hills and Banner – University Medicine North.
Dr. Mathis joined the UA and Banner – University Medicine in 2017 as the medical director of primary care for the Banner – University Medicine Whole Health Clinic (WHC). As medical director, she implemented team-based care and quality-improvement programs. The UA Department of Family and Community Medicine and the UA Department of Psychiatry jointly operate the WHC and provide integrated behavioral health and primary care. The clinic offers comprehensive and integrated services to address the whole-health needs of individuals with mental illness. The WHC recently received the Banner Amazement Award for its positive impact on patients’ lives as demonstrated by improved physical health measures, social determinates of health, quality improvement measures and decreases in emergency department visits and hospital admissions.
Dr. Mathias serves on the Banner – University Medical Group (BUMG) Primary Care Quality and Safety Council and chairs the Quality Improvement (QI) Committee for BUMG Tucson. This year, she was selected to participate in the Banner Advanced Leadership Program for Physicians, a leadership-development program to identify and cultivate physicians to become the next generation of health-care leaders.
In November, Dr. Mathias was one of 10 faculty members to receive a “Clinical Excellence Award” from the UA College of Medicine – Tucson, for exemplary patient care.
Dr. Mathias completed her medical education at Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine and her residency in family medicine at Metropolitan Hospital in Grand Rapids, Mich. She is board certified in family practice.
About the UA Department of Family and Community Medicine
The UA Department of Family and Community Medicine at the UA College of Medicine – Tucson is one of the top-ranking family medicine programs in the country. The department is known for outstanding pre- and post-doctoral education, groundbreaking research and innovative community outreach programs designed to improve the health of individuals, families and communities in the region and beyond. The department places strong emphasis on research, particularly in the fields of tobacco cessation, substance abuse, obesity and related diseases, cancer survivorship, behavioral health and disabilities. In collaboration with the UA Department of Psychiatry, the department opened the Banner – University Medicine Whole Health Clinic, an integrative care clinic for patients living with serious mental illness, putting the department at the forefront of behavioral health care.
About Banner – University Medical Center Tucson and South
Banner – University Medical Center Tucson and Banner – University Medical Center South are part of Banner – University Medicine, a premier academic medical network. These institutions are academic medical centers for the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson. Included on the two campuses are Banner Children’s Diamond Children's Medical Center and many clinics. The two academic medical centers are part of Arizona-based Banner Health, one of the largest nonprofit health care systems in the country. Banner Health is in six states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada and Wyoming. For more information, visit www.bannerhealth.com/locations/tucson/banner-university-medical-center-tucson or www.bannerhealth.com/locations/tucson/banner-university-medical-center-south