2022 Report to our Community

To the communities we serve,

At TMC Health, we talk about existing only to serve you — and to always put you first. Within the pages of this annual report, we share just how we do that every day from Marana to Nogales, from Ajo to Willcox, and beyond.

TMC Health is a nonprofit, independent health system serving Southern Arizona and beyond. From our two critical access hospitals in Cochise County to our growing primary and specialty provider group to Tucson Medical Center, the high-acuity hub that accepts referrals from throughout the state, we are committed to providing exceptional health care with compassion.

What does it mean to be a nonprofit health system? It means that in lieu of paying taxes, we give back to the community by caring for people regardless of their ability to pay; supporting government and community programs that cover the most vulnerable; and investing in community education, research and programs that address the top health needs in the communities we serve.

In this report, you will learn how TMC Health supports the following:

• Training future physicians through the TMC Health Medical Education Program.

• Helping children and families remain safe by providing bike helmets, booster seats, and water safety programs.

• Promoting LGBTQ+ diversity and inclusion in our community, our workplace and for the patients we serve.

• Engaging seniors in educational and social activities to create valuable social connectivity and information to promote healthy aging.

• Investing in mental health services for seniors at Northern Cochise Community Hospital.

• Collaborating between Benson Hospital and TMC to create an innovative tele-cardiac rehab program, bringing this valuable service closer to the people of Cochise County.

We do this work because it’s our mission. We produce this report because it’s our commitment to be transparent about how we earn our “nonprofit” designation.

Every day, every way, we put You First.

Sincerely,

Judy Rich President & CEO TMC Health

You First

For nearly 80 years, Tucson Medical Center and TMC Health have been committed to providing exceptional health care with compassion. As one of the largest community hospitals in the country, we take that responsibility seriously. Since the beginning, we’ve understood it’s more than just caring for you when you’re in the hospital. It’s giving you the tools to care for you and your family when you’re out of the hospital, too.

As we’ve grown, we’ve put you first in every decision we’ve made. Our system of care now includes these trusted brands:

Tucson Medical Center was voted U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospital for the second straight year in 2022. TMC is Southern Arizona’s leading provider for emergency care and pediatric care (including Tucson’s first Pediatric Emergency Department), with intensive care units for adults, children and newborns. Other specialty areas include women’s, maternity, cardiac, orthopedic, neurosurgery, hospice, surgical and vascular care.

TMCOne is the area’s fastest growing network of clinics providing family and specialty care, with more than 17 clinics, 100 providers, and two urgent cares serving the community.

Benson Hospital and Northern Cochise Community Hospital serve our neighbors in Southeastern Arizona with the same commitment to quality care.

Rincon Health Campus in southeast Tucson includes the new Tucson Medical Center Rincon, a state-of-the-art facility currently under construction. With plans to be open in early 2024, it will be the latest addition to TMC Health’s growing network.

Even though much has changed through the years, our values remain the same as those embraced by the community almost 80 years ago.

Strategic alliances putting you first

TMC Health seeks out strategic partnerships with top providers in our community as we strive to put our patients and our community first. In 2022, TMC Health partnered with Select Medical, Community Health Systems and Arizona Urology Specialists. They joined a roster of strategic partners that encourage collaboration and a pursuit of excellence.

These partnerships extend the reach of TMC Health throughout Southern Arizona, helping to ensure quality and specialized care is available close to home for all members of our community.

THMEP training the community’s future physicians

Last year, TMC Health Medical Education Program underwent an organization overhaul, graduated its first class of pediatric residents, received approval to bring back its internal medicine residency and trained its first structural heart fellow.

Originally named Tucson Hospital Medical Education Program, the graduate medical education program was founded in 1963 when Tucson’s three local hospitals — TMC, St. Mary’s and the Pima County Hospital — banded together to train newly-minted physicians. The program has grown and changed over the years, and last year it was folded under the umbrella of TMC Health. Now called TMC Health Medical Education Program, it retains its original acronym and its program for graduate training and continuing education of the medical community.

As THMEP enters its 60th year of operation, it counts hundreds of physicians who graduated from its residencies, many of whom remain in the region.

“THMEP has been good for patients, good for the hospital and good for the community,” explained Robert Aaronson, M.D., executive director of THMEP, adding that the mission of the program is to produce well-educated and community-minded physicians who deliver effective, high-value and compassionate care, while promoting individual and community wellness.

In 2022, THMEP’s first cohort of pediatricians graduated from the program. The THMEP Pediatric Residency Program is a three-year program designed to train outstanding primary care pediatricians.

THMEP also received approval last year to begin an internal medicine residency. The first residents come on board in June 2023. Last year, THMEP’s first fellow completed the Structural Heart Fellowship. Created under the leadership of Dr. Thomas Waggoner, the clinical fellowship provides a oneyear program to prepare an interventional cardiologist with the proficiencies required to perform structural health procedures.

THMEP also sponsors a transitional-year residency, a pharmacy residency and a podiatry residency. One of the strengths of the program is the collaborations with other health care organizations, including the University of Arizona, A.T. Still University, Midwestern University, TMCOne, El Rio Health and MHC Healthcare.

Through these partnerships and its continuing education offerings, Aaronson explained, THMEP has had a hand in the education of thousands of physicians.

TMC’s continuing quest for excellence

Part of the challenge of operating a hospital is that it’s difficult to take a moment to reflect on the work that’s been done. A successful surgery is followed by another surgery on the schedule that demands attention. An award as Tucson’s best hospital from U.S. News & World Report? There’s a tiny moment for celebration, but then the need to keep delivering innovative, world-class care for TMC patients kicks back in.

Earlier detection of lung cancer

One way that Tucson Medical Center continues to advance quality of care is by investing in Intuitive Surgical Inc.’s Ion endolumina system, a new robotic platform for minimally-invasive biopsy in the peripheral lung. This system allows for earlier biopsy and treatment for suspected lung cancers, in a matter of hours rather than weeks. Doctors can discover and treat the cancer before it is in advanced stages, which creates higher rates of survival and better outcomes. Typically, most patients are already in stage three or four lung cancer by the time they discover the disease, with only about 20% surviving more than five years. By being able to biopsy nodules earlier, survivability can be dramatically increased.

“This means patients no longer have to wait until lung nodules grow to a certain size in order to have a biopsy,” said pulmonologist Dr. Chang-Kun “Charles” Choi. “It enables doctors to discover and treat the cancer before it is in advanced stages, creating higher rates of survival and better outcomes for patients.”

VR training

Tucson Medical Center is also partnering with 3lbXR to launch a first-of-itskind virtual reality training program for nurses, patient care technicians, and

environmental services staff. The platform allows trainees to learn from their mistakes by practicing high-risk and problematic tasks in a safe environment. The training covers scenarios such as c. difficile sanitation, patient room cleaning, fall prevention and suicide prevention, providing a realistic experience by recreating TMC rooms in the training modules. The program, which is funded by the TMC Health Foundation, includes a research study that aims to enroll more than 200 registered nurses to measure confidence and competence for specific clinical skills using virtual reality training modules.

“Like other simulation education, VR has the ability to offer a safe space for practice of significant skills for numerous health care workers,” said Anissa Guzman, director of Professional Practice. “Mistakes can be made without real consequences to patients, which allows for modification of TMC practices that fall outside of expectations for safe, high-quality patient care. Repeated opportunities to work through the proper steps or processes for high-risk events provides the great opportunity for performance improvement in a virtual space that can be translated to real practice in the health care setting.”

Future Innovations

This time next year, there will certainly be other new innovations to announce. “Compassion is still the core of healthcare, but technology allows us to provide a higher standard of care than ever before,” said Dr. Josh Lee, Tucson Medical Center Chief Technology Officer and Senior Vice President. “We want to make every part of the process better for both our patients and our staff, while also focusing on the tradition of excellence our community has relied on for nearly 80 years.”

TMC Rincon Health Campus continues to grow

A key element to putting the patient first is providing care closer to home.

Seeing the need for access to health care services in rapidly expanding southeast Tucson, TMC Health — in partnership with physician investors — expanded its offerings at the Rincon Health Campus, 10350 E. Drexel Road, by opening the Rincon Ambulatory Surgery Center on Sept. 28. This is the first surgery center of its kind in the area.

The 17,000-square-foot facility houses four operating rooms and two procedure rooms with expansion capabilities for an additional two operating rooms in the future.

The next day, a progress celebration was held at TMC Health’s new 55-bed Tucson Medical Center Rincon which is slated to open in early 2024. The event included opening remarks by TMC Health CEO Judy Rich, TMC Health Director of Real Estate James Copley and JE Dunn Vice President Larry Hawthorne, followed by a ceremonious placement of a beam signed by all the attendees.

With the addition of the surgery center and the new facility, patients in the area will have easy access to surgery services, emergency care, ambulatory care, women’s care and cardiology, as well as radiology, urgent, primary and specialty care.

These two milestones illustrate TMC Health’s commitment to bringing health care closer to where our patients live and work.

Committee focuses on LGBTQ-related policies, community engagement

Recognizing the importance of diversity, inclusion and equality for patients, family and staff, a group of employees worked with hospital leadership to form the TMC Pride Committee.

have demonstrated that they have key foundational policies in place for LGBTQ inclusion. These policies focus on patient nondiscrimination, equal visitation and employee non-discrimination.”

Growing practice becomes go-to for primary, specialty care

Southern Arizona’s fastest growing primary and specialty care practice continues to reside right here at TMC Health. From its humble beginnings as a solo practice acquired in the TMC purchase of El Dorado Hospital, TMCOne now has 20 clinics, two urgent cares and nearly 100 providers serving our community. In addition, an ever-expanding group of primary and specialty care providers make TMCOne the preferred care partner in Tucson and Southern Arizona.

In 2022, TMCOne expanded its pediatric practice in the east and northwest by adding a clinic on East Speedway Boulevard and an office on North La Cañada Drive. It also opened an orthopedic surgery practice in midtown and plans to open a neurosurgery practice in the summer of 2023.

Through the committee’s efforts, Tucson Medical Center earned Foundational Policies designation for the 2022 Health Equality Index report for the hospital’s efforts to promote equitable and inclusive care for LGBTQ patients and their families.

The HEI, a project of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, is the national LGBTQ benchmarking tool that evaluates health care facilities’ policies and practices related to the equity and inclusion of their LGBTQ patients, visitors and employees.

At the foundational policy level, “health care facilities are early in their inclusion journey and

The next tiers are Top Performer and Equality Leader, which is the goal for TMC in the 2024 survey. Part of the ongoing work includes providing training in LGBTQ culturally-competent care as well as adapting the electronic medical record to easily document sexual orientation and gender identity.

Additionally, last year TMC provided community support for the annual Tucson Pride Parade & Celebration as well as for the University of Arizona Health Sciences annual LGBTQIA+ National Symposium & Community Fair that focuses on how best to foster inclusive and affirming health care.

Bringing seniors and youth together through arts, mentorship and technology

Creating meaningful interaction between older adults and youth is at the heart of TMC for Seniors programs such as Tech Help, Portrait Reflections, Your Story on Stage and Life Lessons Mentorship.

Known as intergenerational programming, these activities increase cooperation, interaction and exchange between two generations. This programming helps seniors feel less isolated and helps teens learn how to connect with older adults.

The Gregory School high school students connect to seniors through the arts and tech help Maya Luria, director of TMC for Seniors, got the idea for intergenerational programs after hearing about Cyber Seniors, a six-week program offered in Canada where students teach seniors how to use the computer. She partnered with The Gregory School and began offering the same program here. The program has since evolved and is now called Tech Help, which is a 50-minute session where seniors can bring in any tech gadget, such as a phone, tablet or computer, and get help with it from a student.

Since 2022, two arts programs are also offered through The Gregory School partnership: Portrait Reflections and Your Story on Stage.

For Portrait Reflections, each art student was paired with a senior. They hung out and as the students got to know the seniors, they then created art portraits. TMC for Seniors held an art show, inviting the students and seniors to see the completed portraits. The excitement in the room was tangible as students and subjects were reunited to see the artwork.

“Oh, you did such a good job. It looks just like me,” one senior exclaimed at the show. Others took photos next to their portraits and had conversations with the artists.

For Your Story on Stage, theater students were each paired with a senior to learn about their life story. The students’ teacher worked with them to create a short script based on the senior’s life. They then performed the scripts on stage for the seniors.

“I think both the students and the seniors have an opportunity to learn how to make connections with people,” Luria said. “It’s so fun to see them share their knowledge on both sides.”

Life lessons mentorship with University of Arizona students

TMC for Seniors participants have become mentors for psychology students learning about aging. Students and seniors spend three hours together so the student can learn about the senior’s life and what wisdom they can

share as they have aged. The student then writes a report and presents it to the class.

“The seniors are very excited,” Luria said. “They really enjoy it. They’re making these new connections on a real personal level and it makes them feel valued and excited to be able to share with others.”

A recent student learned that her senior is a Korean War veteran and a stamp collector who wants to make people feel wanted, needed and appreciated. He said the student “was an excellent student who will be successful in all aspects of her life.”

“I just think it’s so neat,” Luria said. “He said ‘thank you’ and that he will forever treasure this experience.”

Creating community through art

The brightly lit room at TMC for Seniors was abuzz with chatter and anticipation as artist Carolyn King stood in front of a class of 20 seniors. She briefly reviewed the supplies on each table — sheet rock, clay, cookie cutters of various shapes and sizes — and how to use them.

Then they got to work. Mosaic Mondays class participants cut out different shapes of clay. Each piece eventually was painted and then added to a mosaic to represent the beautiful desert.

Cathie Logan sat at a table with two other women. They chatted about what they were doing. One had trouble getting the clay to pop out of the tiny cookie cutter. Another quietly concentrated on making the perfect shape.

“This is fun,” Logan said. “When you don’t have family, it’s nice to get out and do something like this.”

That’s what TMC for Seniors is all about.

“We hope to help older adults create connections through hands-on activities, social opportunities and wellness education,” said Maya Luria, director of TMC for Seniors. “Our goal is to help people remain engaged in the community and to continue to have good quality of life.”

The final masterpiece was completed and adorns the outside wall of TMC for Seniors.

Fostering community, building healthy families

Tucson Medical Center believes that building a healthy community starts with building healthy families. We do that through outreach programs and family safety events.

This year we were able to bring back our biggest family outreach event, Be Safe Saturday, where we handed out booster seats and bike helmets, and had community organizations engaging with children and their families. About 4,000 people attended.

Seeing the need for outreach in southeast Tucson, we introduced a new family event, Rincon Spooktacular Safety Fair, held at the TMC Rincon Health Campus with 1,600 people in attendance. Similar to Be Safe Saturday, this event included a DJ, free hot dogs and drinks, booster seats, bike helmets, trick-or-treating and lots of fun activities with community organizations.

Provided

500 free life jackets

Served 26,000 through outreach events 798 free swim lessons

TMC Maternity: Quality care for mom and babies

Tucson Medical Center takes distinct pride in being the birthplace of so many Tucsonans. The staff also takes pride in doing it well, as shown by recognition from U.S. News & World Report and The Leapfrog Group, which affirmed that TMC has one of the best maternity centers in the country. Still, the most validating moments often come when people reach out to share their stories. We share one such letter we received from one of our patients:

My name is Erica Salas and I have been a TMCObstetrics patient since May 2022. I am not an individual who usually takes the time to write a letter to an organization, but I feel that this is an important story to tell. My family and I had been only in the Tucson area for the last couple years when we received the surprise of those two special lines appearing in the over-the-counter pregnancy test. A panic and butterflies set in my stomach because I was unfamiliar with where to receive care here in Tucson. I began to research which hospital was the best in the area and based on U.S. News & World Report, Tucson Medical Center was a top listed hospital. I was nervous because I was not familiar with the TMC system, but I took a chance because everything that I had researched pointed to TMC providing the best care for my baby and me.

As I expected, the TMCObstetrics staff provided quality customer service; all the providers with whom I met were up to speed on my medical history, which had become more complicated since my last pregnancy. When I finally moved into the third trimester, I could see the finish line. On Dec. 1, I had three appointments. The first was for an ultrasound to check on the baby’s growth. Prior to this time, I already had my induction date set for Dec. 15, so I wasn’t expecting anything to happen at this appointment. When the ultrasound technician stopped chatting about the baby, I knew something was off.

The tech went to get the doctor to double check the findings. When the doctor came in, she said, “It’s go time.” I became a bit emotional because I wasn’t planning or ready to have the baby right then. I was sent straight to Labor and Delivery to begin the process of induction. We tried two types of medications with no luck. I knew that we were exhausting options before a C-section was mentioned. After several days in the hospital waiting on the baby, finally, I was able to hold my baby girl on Dec. 4, 2022, at 1:59 a.m. Her name is Philomena Aurora.

I wasn’t, but they couldn’t explain why I was so weak. My recollection of this time is very vague, relying on what my husband told me and what I read in my medical charts. I went into surgery to make sure no tissue remained in my uterus and that the bleeding had stopped. The surgery was deemed a success. I was wheeled back into my room; I wasn’t fully awake and was in and out. When I opened my eyes briefly from surgery, I could see the room full of people. I knew my husband was at the foot of the bed, the anesthesiologist on my left side, nurses on my right and at the foot of the bed, and then I heard more physicians in the room trying to figure out what had happened with me.

Even though I wasn’t scared of what was happening to me, I was concerned about my three babies. I woke up at 2 p.m. in intensive care on a ventilator with my parents and husband in my room. I asked where the baby was and who had the baby. I also felt cheated because I had a vague recollection of what had happened in the last 12 hours. Due to the complications of a lacerated cervix, I ended up needing a total hysterectomy, my fallopian tubes removed and a transfusion of eight units of blood.

What I recall most was the kindness and compassion your staff provided my family and me: the L&D nurses who stayed past their shift had ended; all those who watched over Philomena and helped my family while I was in the ICU; and the volunteer who visited me in the ICU, helping me fill in the lost time. Plus, I’m feeling reassured that I was in the best place for all this to happen. Although traumatic, it could have turned out a lot worse. The physical part of healing is almost complete. The emotional part has taken a bit longer, but I know that TMC saved my life and for that I am forever grateful.

Thank you for letting me continue to be a Mom for my three babies, a wife, and to continue to be a part of my family.

Respectfully,

Erica Salas

I was able to have some skin-on-skin contact and Philomena began to nurse, when I had to call my husband to get the baby because I wasn’t feeling well. I began to feel weak. The nurse checked if I was hemorrhaging.

System collaboration leads to life-changing health program

In a collaboration between Benson Hospital and Tucson Medical Center, rural patients can now access cardiac rehabilitation services without having to travel.

After a successful open heart surgery, Lisa Heidrick was told by physicians that she should complete a 36-week course of cardiac rehabilitation, a medically supervised program designed to improve cardiovascular health with exercise counseling and training, and education for heart-healthy living.

The first patient for remote cardiac rehab

Heidrick, a Benson resident, searched for cardiac rehabilitation facilities in Benson and Sierra Vista, but found nothing. Her closest option was TMC. Wanting the best outcome — those who complete cardiac rehab have a much lower risk of a recurring cardiac event — she was willing to make the two-hour round trip trek to Tucson twice a week.

When she called TMC to get on the schedule, however, she was told that TMC Health was starting a remote cardiac rehabilitation program and she would be able to access the same level of care without having to leave Benson.

“I was so excited to find out there was cardiac rehab in Benson,” she said. “I was lucky enough to be the first patient and I love it. If I had to travel, it would be at least three hours of my day for each one-hour appointment.”

‘People seem to really love it’

Twice a week, Heidrick goes to Benson Hospital, less than a mile away from her home, for her cardiac rehab appointments. The rehabilitation room is equipped with a treadmill, an exercise bike, hand weights, a video screen, a camera and monitoring equipment. A Benson Hospital nurse stays in the room during each session to monitor vitals such as blood pressure, heart rate and blood sugar, and a TMC exercise physiologist is there on the screen to give feedback and tips. The patient and physiologist can see and talk to each other during the session.

“We see everything like we would if the patient was in our clinic, except they are doing the exercises in Benson and we are talking to them and watching them from Tucson,” said Mary Mellady, director of Cardiac Rehabilitation.

“We give them tips, talk to them about nutrition and exercising after finishing the program — things we would talk to them about in the clinic. People seem to really love it. They are able to engage really well with the exercise physiologists here.”

‘Something to look forward to’

Halfway through the program Heidrick is pleased with the progress she has made. It enables her to do the things she enjoys, such as being outside working on the property she and her husband share.

“Cardiac rehab has helped me improve my activity above even where I was before surgery, so I am very happy with my improvement,” she said. “I can now walk a very long distance with no problem. Walking up stairs and lifting objects doesn’t leave me out of breath. At first, I didn’t understand the need for cardiac rehab, but now I am so grateful that I have been able to participate in this program in my remote location. I’m especially thankful to TMC and Mike, my exercise physiologist, and Andy and Velma, my nurses who are constantly present and make participating in cardiac rehab at Benson Hospital a joy and something to look forward to.”

Community support helps us grow

Setting up the program in Benson was made possible through a donation of $50,000 from the TMC Health Foundation and $25,000 from Arizona Complete Health.

As more people learn about and utilize these life-changing services, more space and equipment will be needed to fill the needs of the rural communities.

“The importance of having cardiac rehab here in Benson is it allows patients to continue to improve their cardiac status locally, without the two-hour total travel time for a one-hour appointment,” said Velma Cooper, director of nursing, Benson Hospital.

New imaging to fun runs: Benson Hospital addressing key health needs of the community

Investing in the community and expanding access to care continue to be priorities for Benson Hospital, said CEO Julia Strange. From opening its new imaging center to sponsoring the inaugural Run for Your Life Zombie Run to raise money for local parks, the hospital and its staff are focused on making Benson healthier.

In March, Benson Hospital opened a full-service imaging center to serve Benson and the greater San Pedro Valley. Services include general X-ray, computed tomography (CT), ultrasound and bone densitometry (DXA). “The imaging center opening was the largest construction project for the hospital in 15 years,” Strange said. “The state-of-the-art center means people can get these diagnostic services close to home.”

The new technology and placement near the Emergency Department has improved the experience of emergency patients who need imaging services, Strange said. “Previously, our CT was outside of the main hospital. By bringing it inside and creating connectivity to the Emergency Department, we have improved patient experience and improved outcomes.”

The critical-access hospital also opened a new primary care clinic in Vail in early 2022, bringing much needed primary care services to that growing community. This is the third rural health clinic operated by Benson Hospital.

And, while the focus on inpatient and outpatient health care is the top priority, the Benson team is focused on community health as well. The Run for Your Life Zombie Run was a partnership between the City of Benson and the hospital to create a fun physical activity for local residents and raise dollars to improve the local parks. The hospital also participates in other community events including the annual Fourth of July Celebration and Butterfield Days.

In Mescal-J6, the hospital hosts a monthly event called Bagels and Blood Pressure in collaboration with the Mescal-J6 Fire District and sponsors the 5K Run Walk and Roll and 10K Challenge Run. More broadly in Cochise County, Benson Hospital sponsored Perimeter Cycling’s inaugural Tour de Zona, a threeday bike tour of Cochise County.

Benson Hospital also works with the Southern Arizona Diaper Bank, the Benson Food Pantry, Produce on Wheels Without Waste (POWWOW) and other community partners to address key health needs in the region.

LifeNet 8 welcomed back to Willcox

Northern Cochise Community Hospital and the people of Willcox welcomed Air Methods LifeNet 8 back to NCCH in October.

Having a helicopter stationed at the hospital allows the Willcox community to have rapid access to life-saving care when it is needed most.

“Being welcomed back into the Willcox community and its surrounding areas has been such a privilege for us here at LifeNet 8. Our goal is to be the best partner in air medical for all,” said Roxanne Flores, LifeNet’s business development representative. With seconds making all the difference, the highly trained air medical team is capable of life-saving interventions at the scene and in flight. LifeNet’s philosophy is to provide excellent patient care throughout each phase of the patient experience.

“LifeNet has been our main air ambulance provider throughout the years, and we are glad they are continuing to serve our community by co-locating at NCCH,” said CEO Mo Sheldon. “With continuing our partnership, we are meeting the needs of our patients, helping to ensure the best recovery possible.”

LifeNet 8 is equipped with an EC130 air ambulance helicopter. The helicopter is staffed with industry-leading trauma clinicians and pilots with years of experience in the field. At the base, skilled aviation mechanics ensure the aircraft is always safe and mission-ready.

Senior Life Solutions at NCCH

Senior Life Solutions, one of Northern Cochise Community Hospital’s newest departments, is an intensive outpatient therapy program designed to meet the unique needs of individuals, typically 65 and older, experiencing depression, anxiety or both, related to life changes often associated with aging. Anyone can make a referral to the program.

Those who may benefit include anyone experiencing the following:

• Acting as a caregiver

• Chronic health condition

• Decreased energy

• Difficulty sleeping, eating or both

• Feeling lonely or isolated

• Feelings of uncertainty and worry

• Life transitions

• Loss of a loved one

• Loss of interest

• Recent health diagnosis

NCCH’s Senior Life Solutions is designed to meet the unique needs of older adults. The program is dedicated to improving the quality of life for the patients we serve.

Letter From Jeffrey Lamie

The charitable mission of the TMC Health Foundation is to improve health and quality of care in our community. Tucson Medical Center and the TMC Health Foundation Board of Trustees — led by community members — along with the Foundation team hold this mission dear and are committed to fulfill this obligation with integrity and transparency.

Community is key to this mission. This past year, the people of Tucson and Southern Arizona came together yet again with generous philanthropic support and passionate volunteer service. This enabled us to provide invaluable services for our community. In 2022 we exceeded expectations with a record $12.24 million committed to TMC. We also enhanced an already strong hospital Auxiliary. For this we are truly grateful.

Quality is paramount. In this report you will read about life-changing and sometimes lifesaving care supported by our community. TMC invested in an Ion robot, which helps doctors detect and treat lung cancer earlier, leading to better outcomes for patients. We started a virtual reality training program for nurses and environmental services staff that puts them in a realistic environment to learn and make mistakes without affecting patients. We also opened a pediatric operating room in TMC for Children so patients and families don’t have to travel across the hospital for operations.

We thank our many supporters across the spectrum of giving. Some are volunteers who guide patients to appointments, rock NICU babies or greet patients and loved ones with their therapy dog partners. Others support TMC for Children a dollar at a time through our Children’s Miracle Network campaigns at our partners’ cash registers, generating more than $1.4 million to support pediatric care. Others make leadership gifts that shape the future of our clinical program, including a profound commitment to name the leading-edge CardioVascular Center. All are valued and critical to our mission.

In two words “THANK YOU” for all that you do.

Jeffrey Lamie Vice President and Chief Development Officer TMC Health Foundation

About Donal Drayne

Give Donal Drayne an opportunity to introduce himself and it’s unlikely he’ll mention the sort of accolades you’d expect. Likely, you’ll hear him describe himself as a humble son of a dairy farmer from Northern Ireland, a longtime hotel employee and a volunteer for several local organizations. While all of that is certainly true, that narrative leaves out the depth of his passion, commitment and dedication to this community, including his time as the chair of the TMC Health Foundation Board of Trustees. His legacy of giving will resonate at TMC for years to come.

“Donal Drayne has been a gift to this hospital — one of the most memorable people to walk its halls during Tucson Medical Center’s history,” said Mimi Coomler, CEO of Tucson Medical Center. “From working with donors to the foundation to simple acts of selflessness, Donal is an inspiration to everyone he meets.” Whether that spirit was learned over his years in hospitality, largely at the Westin La Paloma as the catering manager, or inherent to his personality, it might be impossible to say, but you would be hard-pressed to find someone who aims to give more of himself to others.

“I have learned so much from Donal while we have worked together at the Foundation,” said Jeff Lamie, vice president and chief development officer of the TMC Health Foundation. “There’s something so incredibly magnetic about Donal in every conversation. He has a remarkable ability to get others to see his vision for service.”

While Donal’s time as chair of the TMC Health Foundation may be coming to an end, this son of a dairy farmer and Tucson Man of the Year honoree won’t quit on Tucson Medical Center. “I suppose I’ll be here in some form as long as I’m in Tucson — there’s so much good that happens here each day; who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?”

New Ronald McDonald Family Room opens at TMC

When the TMC Foundation had the opportunity to work with long-time partners the Ronald McDonald House to provide a space within the hospital to give families with hospitalized children a place to rest and regroup, it was a simple decision to make.

The new room is near the TMC Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU), where parents often stay for weeks or even months while their babies are growing. It opens to the beautiful Women of Honor Courtyard, which brings the outside inside and promotes a sense of well-being. Families who visit the room will be able to relax, have a snack, drink a hot cup of coffee or tea, and chat with a friendly volunteer or other families in a non-clinical setting.

Volunteers from Ronald McDonald House Charities and Tucson Medical Center staff the room with the goal of making life a little easier for families with children in the hospital.

“We are so thankful for the Ronald McDonald House and that they made this room happen,” said Kara Snyder, director of Women’s and Children’s Services. “We recognize that having a child in the hospital is stressful. Parents don’t want to leave, but need to be able to relax and take care of themselves. The Ronald McDonald Family Room provides a relaxing space that doesn’t feel like a hospital so families can take a break and feel comforted knowing they are still close by.”

Ronald McDonald House Charities, TMC Health Foundation and Children’s Miracle Network funded this project. The room was designed by Interiors in Design and constructed by TMC Facilities.

The Ronald McDonald Family Room is open daily 10 a.m.- 6 p.m.

The Teal Saguaro reopens to great success

On a cool May morning, the Teal Saguaro Resale Boutique reopened in grand style after a two-year hiatus.

The new location, 2260 N. Rosemont Blvd. #100, is a short walk from the TMC main campus — two blocks south of the Grant and Rosemont intersection. The newly-remodeled facility is larger than the Teal Saguaro’s previous home, boasting more than 2,500 square feet of shopping space.

Like many stores, the Teal Saguaro closed its doors in March 2020 when COVID gripped the community. As the virus waxed and waned, TMC volunteers worried the shop might not come back.

“The Teal Saguaro, which is operated exclusively by Auxiliary volunteers, has a long and storied history of directly raising funds in support of TMC’s programs and services,” said Auxiliary president Joe Bezerra.

Marian Rogerson, a longtime volunteer and former TMC employee, also expressed concern. “It is a community staple that demonstrates our commitment to Tucson. It would have been a shame to lose it.”

Teal’s reopening is a credit to the collaboration between Facilities, Security, Auxiliary, Volunteer Services and PICOR Commercial Real Estate Services.

In its first six months of operation, the relocated Teal Saguaro surpassed all expectations, setting a new record of TMC support. How did the Auxiliary achieve this new record?

“Our new facility is wonderful, but that’s not our secret to success,” said volunteer Nancy Lynn. “It’s the Teal Saguaro volunteers and our amazing customers. We care so much about the welcoming atmosphere of the shop, quality of the merchandise and how the store is presented, but our customers’ appreciation and gratitude always energizes our commitment.”

Bezerra noted how the proceeds support the hospital. “The Teal Saguaro’s revenue helped support the Newborn Intensive Care Unit, Child Life program, Pediatric Therapy scholarships and many other programs,” he said. “Just as important, the shop’s success has renewed and broadened its opportunities to provide meaningful services as a community resource center for area families in need.”

If you are looking for great clothes, gently used kitchenware or a CD for only a few bucks, stop by the Teal Saguaro. You can enjoy the remodeled store, pleasant volunteers and knowledge that your purchase is supporting programs at Southern Arizona’s community hospital, TMC.

The Teal Saguaro

2260 N. Rosemont Blvd. #100

Monday – Friday • 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Donations welcome!

Celebrating 10 years of Mega Raffle

The 2022 TMC Mega Raffle celebrated 10 years of community support raising a record-breaking $2.1 million.

With community support and the TMC Mega Raffle, we are able to make great things happen.

In 10 years, the TMC Mega Raffle has raised nearly $13 million to help fund programs and services that impact patient care at TMC Health.

A few areas the TMC Mega Raffle helps fund include:

• Cardiac health care

• Telehealth

• Maternity services

• Scholarships and education opportunities for staff

• Advanced technology and robotics

• Intensive Care Unit

TMC Gala: A record-setting night to remember

Glimmering lights, sparkling gowns and dynamic tunes filled the grand ballroom of the Westin La Paloma for the 2022 TMC Gala on Nov. 19.

As guests arrived, they were transported to Broadway with a giant marquee, a 42nd Street sign, entertainers and New York City street food. Guests knew they were in for a special evening of celebration and wonder, as they supported the TMC CardioVascular Center.

Attendees were lavishly dressed and beautiful, of course, but the true star of the evening was their amazing generosity — between ticket/table purchases and the live-paddle raise, more than $600,000 was collected to help TMC expand its cardiovascular program.

“It was great to see more than 800 people in attendance at the TMC Gala. We certainly are very grateful for the tremendous outpouring of support we receive from the people of Tucson and Southern Arizona,” said Donal Drayne, chairman of the TMC Health Foundation Board of Trustees.

Honorary chairs in the spotlight

Dr. Gulshan and Neelam Sethi served as the gala’s honorary chairs, giving back together to their community hospital and encouraging others to do the same. With proceeds benefitting the TMC CardioVascular Center, it was a lovely way to bookend Dr. Sethi’s half-century career as a cardiothoracic surgeon.

Dr. Sethi can be proud of the accomplishments he achieved during his time as a surgeon. He performed the first lung transplant in Arizona, started a heart surgery program at the Tucson VA Hospital, published more than 220 scientific papers, educated hundreds of residents and fellows, and worked with numerous medical students.

He also started the TMC CardioVascular Symposium and played an important role in the development of many other programs including the TMC Structural Heart Program.

While Dr. Sethi fixed hearts and lungs, his wife Neelam was equally busy bringing the community together with events such as F.A.M.E., the Family Arts and Music Experience at the Children’s Museum Tucson, Bollywood at the Fox, as well as participating in several other charitable nonprofit organizations, including the Junior League and Angel Charity.

Center stage

The TMC CardioVascular Center takes center stage when it comes to caring for patients. Each year, the center cares for more than 6,500 cardiology patients and more than 1,000 structural heart patients. The center is a top-

enrolling site globally for major clinical trials for new device technology, and is in the top five in the nation for performing procedures such as Mitraclip, TAVR and Watchman — all of which treat conditions that involve the structure of the heart — its walls, valves or chambers.

“What it comes down to is putting the patient first,” said Dr. Thomas Waggoner, director of the Structural Heart Program and Fellowship at Tucson Medical Center. “If you do that, everything else falls in line.”

Curtain call

The evening’s events included a live-ask paddle raise with auctioneer Bobby D. Elhert. His enthusiasm and passion energized participants who raised their paddles and the auction’s total. Following the final remarks, the house lights dimmed and the party lights came on for everyone to dance to the lively beat of the LA ALLSTARS. As the evening ended, and the Broadway lights went dark, the crowd could leave knowing it was they who were the true stars with their generosity exceeding all expectations.

Future of cardiac care at TMC

The TMC CardioVascular Center is recognized nationally for innovation and excellence. Gifts from our generous community, both large and small, help us to continue this legacy.

In 2022, TMC received a $4 million gift from the Humberto and Czarina Lopez Family to establish an endowment supporting the hospital’s cardiovascular program. Combined with a $1 million match from the TMC Health Foundation, the initiative totals $5 million to provide a consistent source of funding to support the center’s life-changing work.

As part of the gift agreement, the program will be renamed the Iliana Maria Lopez CardioVascular Center at Tucson Medical Center. This naming honors the Lopez family’s commitment to the people of Southern Arizona as well as the legacy of cardiac services at TMC, and recognizes the outcomes of the work being done by the dedicated physicians and staff every day.

2022 Cath Lab Milestones

• Rebuilt one Cath Lab suite with latest technology.

• Performed an all-time record of more than 6,800 procedures.

• Performed an all-time record of nearly 800 Structural Heart procedures.

• Completed a Watchman device research study with TMC performing the second most number of procedures out of 154 sites around the world.

People are the heart of cardiac care

Caring for a person’s heart is more than a procedure or the latest technology. It is caring for a person, giving them a better quality and longer life to enjoy with loved ones.

Thomas Day is one of those people. He is a father, grandfather and friend, a person with dreams and hopes for the future.

When his heart rate reached 189 beats per minute, he knew he needed to get help. Living in Safford, he drove himself to the nearest hospital. It turned out that he needed escalated care and was airlifted to Tucson Medical Center.

At TMC, Day’s medical team determined he needed a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) to address aortic stenosis. That wasn’t in the cards for him though. Further testing revealed Day was in heart and kidney failure and had other serious problems, meaning he would be better served with open heart surgery. It was a success, without complications.

“Rates of complications after surgery are really high for someone like this,” said Rhoda Tanio, R.N., cardiothoracic surgery coordinator at TMC. “We were so relieved to see Mr. Day pull through without experiencing any complications. He did not need any dialysis, even for a short period of time, even with just one kidney that was starting to fail.”

Now, Day feels better than he has in years. Since leaving the hospital, he has taken up walking, rowing and weightlifting. “I even feel like doing yardwork,” Day joked.

The care Day received during his stay at TMC gave him more than a healed heart. It gave him hope and a renewed excitement for the future.

He says he looks forward to seeing his grandchildren graduate, get married and have children. He is also planning an Alaskan vacation.

“There’s hope for people like me because of people like you,” Day said at a reunion with his medical providers. “I appreciate all you do and thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

TMC Pet Therapy dogs were invited to campus to model for the first ever Pet Therapy calendar, which was sold in the TMC Gift Shop and the Teal Saguaro to raise money to support the program.

Doctor’s Orders: Reduce cortisol and increase oxytocin levels

Prescription: Pet Therapy

“When the dogs come to the unit, everyone’s whole demeanor changes. You can tell patients feel happy and can forget for a minute that they’re in the hospital,” said Heather Roberts, supervisor of Child Life Services when pet therapy teams returned to the hospital after a two-year hiatus.

A wag of a tail from a friendly animal not only can bring an immediate smile, even for someone who may not be in a smiling mood, but it also facilitates the healing process for patients who may be experiencing health issues that have them confused, frustrated, lonely or scared. Research shows that simply petting a dog lowers the stress hormone cortisol, while increasing levels of oxytocin, the feelgood hormone. These canine interactions can also assist in lowering blood pressure, kind of a white-coat syndrome antidote!

Therapy is intense work for our canine friends and their humans. Each visit is about one hour and may be on a specific unit, or several different units and sometimes in a lobby. In 2022, 31 teams provided 2,022 hours of pet therapy, bringing smiles, reducing cortisol and increasing oxytocin wherever they wander.

June 2023 - Bandit

Changing kids’ health through Children’s Miracle Network partnerships

In 2022, more than 1,600 children experienced inpatient hospital stays at TMC for Children, Southern Arizona’s only Children’s Miracle Network hospital.

No matter the reason a child is here, whether a broken bone, surgery or access to lifechanging therapies, TMC for Children steps up to the plate to care for them with the most highly trained professionals, and leading-edge technology and programs.

This important work is thanks, in large part, to the generosity of our individual donors, national CMN corporate partners and local corporate sponsors who raised nearly $1.5 million in support of our kids in 2022.

Through CMN donations, TMC for Children was able to purchase dozens of fully-loaded Xbox gaming systems for our pediatric rooms. When a child is in the hospital, an Xbox is so much more than a game. It helps children feel comfortable and gives them a sense of normalcy. Playing video games can also provide distraction, which can help reduce anxiety and stress.

With this continued support, we can change kids’ health and change the future.

Why CMN support matters

12,000 Child Life sessions

5,334 babies delivered

98 sets of twins delivered

27,917 Pediatric Emergency Department visits

43,724 total visits and encounters

Corporate Partners

The TMC Health Foundation helped fund the NICU Operating Room with Children’s Miracle Network dollars, thanks to the generosity of individual and corporate donors.

The NICU overnight room also received a makeover, giving families a comfortable place to stay without having to leave the hospital.

Dr. Cosentino helped fund the renovation because she believes in the work TMC for Children does for the community.

“I think what we do at TMC is special and I think as a community hospital being able to care for children at the level we do and the quality we do is wonderful,” she said. “I am a big advocate for TMC for Children.”

A new operating room for NICU babies

When a baby from the Newborn Intensive Care Unit needs surgery, every step is critical.

Previously, when one of these babies needed surgery, they had to be transported from the NICU to the operating room across the hospital, a long and sometimes difficult trek that required extra care for our tiny patients.

“The NICU had been challenged to find ways to keep babies with very small birthweights warm while transporting to the main OR,” said Pat Brown, manager of Pediatrics. “We would transport the babies in incubators or warmers and used warm blankets and warm fluid placed around the baby’s body, but nothing is as good as having the OR and NICU next to each other.”

To create a safer environment and to ease the minds of already worried parents, TMC opened a special operating room right across the hall from the NICU. This operating room is outfitted with all the state-of-the-art equipment a NICU baby requires during surgery including a specific bed, anesthesia machine, warmer and ventilator.

“It has made such a big difference for these babies and their families,” said pediatric surgeon Catherine Cosentino, M.D. “They go right across the hallway to have their operation and come right back into the NICU. I think families feel better that their baby is just across the hall, and if we have any problems, it’s easy to have a NICU attending physician come in. It’s just a much safer environment for the babies.”

Before Dr. Cosentino performed the first surgery in the new room, TMC chaplains joined nursing staff, physicians and operating room staff for a special blessing.

“To me it was just wonderful,” Dr. Cosentino said. “I cried. I had been such an advocate of having this and it was so nice to see it come to fruition. It was a wonderful part of my career here at TMC.”

Community Benefit 2022

TMC Health reports nearly $53.3 million in community benefit and charity care for 2022, or about 6.3% of net revenue, an increase from 6.1% in 2021.

What makes up this number?

Outreach & Education: This figure includes community benefit programs and activities that provide treatment or promote health and healing as a response to identified community needs. These programs and activities help improve access to health care services, enhance the health of the community and advance medical knowledge.

Hospital Assessment: Since 2014, Arizona hospitals have paid an assessment to the state of Arizona to help fund the cost of expanding AHCCCS services to low-income residents. In 2022, the assessment covered 687,000 residents, and TMC Health’s portion of the hospital assessment was $21.9 million.

Health Care Investment Fund (HCIF): In March 2020, HB 2668 was passed which established a second assessment effective Oct. 1, 2020. Monies from this assessment are deposited into the Health Care Investment Fund to 1) make directed payments to hospitals pursuant to 42 CFR § 438.6(c) to persons eligible for Title XIX services, 2) increase base reimbursement for services reimbursed under the dental fee schedule and physician fee schedule, and 3) to pay for the non-federal share of the costs for AHCCCS expenses to administer this program, not to exceed one percent of the total assessment monies collected.

Uncompensated Cost of Care for Charity Care, Bad Debt & Discounts for the Uninsured: Charity care is free or discounted health services provided to people who can demonstrate that they do not have the means to pay the full cost of care and who meet the organization’s financial-assistance policy criteria.

Bad debt consists of services for which the hospital anticipated but did not receive payment. Recognizing that self-pay patients who do not have health insurance are not in the same position as insurance companies to negotiate reduced rates, TMC Health discounts these patients’ bills by 69%; and, depending on a patient’s income, other discounts may apply as part of TMC Health’s Community Care program.

For purposes of community benefit reporting, charity care, bad debt and uninsured discounts are reported in terms of costs, not charges. For more information about TMC Health’s charity care policy, visit: tmcaz.com/community-care

Community Benefit 2022

Total $53,272,992

Percentage of net revenue: 6.3%

28%

Hospital Assessment $21,915,140

Cost of Uncompensated Care (Charity Care & Bad Debt) $14,731,580

Health Care Investment Fund (HCIF) $13,668,827

6%

41 % 26% Outreach & Education $2,957,445

2022 Hospital Data and Volumes

Benson TMC

Number of fulltime equivalent employees

Number of Licensed Beds

Inpatient Admissions

ED Visits

96 24 214 5,599

154 24 379 9,146

Babies Delivered

3,524 628

32,872

82,098

5,333 system-wide

NCCH

TMC Employee Outreach

On July 6, 2022, TMC hosted a Back-to-School event at the TMC Marshall Conference Center for staff, providing 200 booster seats and 1,500 backpacks filled with school supplies for employees’ kids.