'At the edge of the future': ASU breaks ground for better health outcomes for Arizona
Dirt is turned during a ceremonial groundbreaking at the future site of the ASU Health headquarters in downtown Phoenix on April 9. Photo by Charlie Leight/ASU News
Arizona State University is taking a huge step toward addressing one of the biggest crises in the U.S. — the disparity in health care, according to ASU President Michael Crow.
Crow spoke Thursday in downtown Phoenix at the groundbreaking of the headquarters for ASU Health, the hub of the university’s efforts to improve health outcomes for Arizona residents.
He told the crowd that despite great wealth, the U.S. health care system is failing.
“We’re spending almost two and a half times per capita the money on health care as any other country in the world. And our results are not in the top 25,” he said, noting that many patients cannot afford their medications.
“What we have is a system that costs so much that it’s lost control — with poor results.”
Crow said that ASU Health will tackle those problems.
“We at the university are at the edge of the future,” he said.
The 175,000-square-foot ASU Health building will house two new schools — the John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering and the School of Technology for Public Health — plus the new ASU Health Observatory and programs in the Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation and the College of Health Solutions.
The ASU Health headquarters is scheduled to open in time for the fall 2028 semester. Located in the Phoenix BioScience Core downtown, it will feature traditional and virtual reality classrooms, health care simulation and skills labs, a medical-technology innovation suite, and student- and community-focused amenities.
The John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering will incorporate engineering into the curriculum, and students will receive two degrees in four years: an MD and a Master of Science in medical engineering. The medical school, with primary clinical affiliate HonorHealth, will produce physicians who blend medicine, engineering, technology and humanities and know how to leverage tools such as artificial intelligence and data science.
Every seat in this school is a patient who gets seen. Every diploma here is a workforce gap that gets a little bit smaller. Every investment we make today is a healthier Arizona.
Katie HobbsArizona governor on ASU Health
Crow noted that the University of Arizona has a medical school with a campus in downtown Phoenix.
“This is not in lieu of the things that we already have. This is in addition to the things that we already have,” he said.
“It’s about finding a solution that people can use and not just some people and not rich people. Everyone.”
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs said that ASU Health will address a workforce gap in the state, with 76,000 new health care workers needed by 2030.
“We have a goal to triple the number of nurses educated by ASU and to attract more doctors into the state with upskilling opportunities,” she said.
“Every seat in this school is a patient who gets seen. Every diploma here is a workforce gap that gets a little bit smaller. Every investment we make today is a healthier Arizona.”
simulation and skills labs, and a medical-technology innovation suite. Image by DFDG Architecture and CO Architects
Vice Mayor Kesha Hodge-Washington represents District 8, where ASU Health resides.
“I have had the opportunity to speak with other elected officials … and many of them are grappling with exactly what we are solving here. They’re trying to figure out how to deal with the health disparities in their community. And look at us. We are doing it,” she said.
Funding for the $200 million construction project is from private philanthropy — including $12.5 from HonorHealth — plus $100 million from the state of Arizona and $50 million from the city of Phoenix, which was approved in March.
Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said ASU Health is the result of an untiring desire to serve Arizona’s future.
“Dr. Crow and I have been talking about this for years. How do we take what we're already good at, our great medical technology and semiconductors, and not rest? Where is the future going and how can we be ready? And we are so excited to be able to make this investment to educate, innovate, scale and serve.”
Dr. Crow and I have been talking about this for years. How do we take what we're already good at, our great medical technology and semiconductors, and not rest? Where is the future going and how can we be ready? And we are so excited to be able to make this investment to educate, innovate, scale and serve.
Kate GallegoPhoenix mayor
Gallego said that as part of its agreement, ASU Health will collaborate with the city on occupational health, women’s health and urban public health resilience, which will include research on heat, homelessness, mental health and addiction.
“We’re going to be able to address some of our priorities as a city council, including public safety and first responder health. More than 130 of our firefighters in fairly recent times have had an occupational cancer diagnosis. We’ve lost too many of our team,” she said.
“ASU is going to help us address that, and I think this could be a national model that will save firefighter lives far beyond Arizona.
ASU Health will be measured by those types of outcomes.
“Don’t just tell us how many doctors we produce or how many nurses we produce,” Crow said.
“Did we increase Arizona’s health? Did we lower health care access costs? Did we produce a better outcome for the state of Arizona? That’s what we’re here to do.”
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ASU President Michael Crow tells the audience at the April 9 groundbreaking in downtown Phoenix that ASU Health will be measured by its real-world outcomes: “Did we increase Arizona’s health? Did we lower health care access costs? Did we produce a better outcome for the state of Arizona? That’s what we’re here to do.”
Photo by Samantha Chow/Arizona State University
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Hardhats and shovels await the ceremonial groundbreaking Thursday in downtown Phoenix. 175,000-square-foot ASU Health headquarters is scheduled to open in time for the fall 2028 semester.
Photo by Charlie Leight/ASU News
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Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs speaks at the groundbreaking, noting that ASU Health will address a workforce gap in the state, with 76,000 new health care workers needed by 2030.
Photo by Charlie Leight/ASU News
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Dr. Holly Lisanby (center), founding dean and Foundation Professor of the John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering, speaks to attendees of the ASU Health groundbreaking Thursday. The school will be housed at the new headquarters.
Photo by Charlie Leight/ASU News
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ASU Health will collaborate with the city of Phoenix on occupational health, women’s health and urban public health resilience, which will include research on heat, homelessness, mental health and addiction, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego tells the audience at the groundbreaking.
Photo by Samantha Chow/Arizona State University
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Phoenix Vice Mayor Kesha Hodge-Washington — who represents District 8, where ASU Health resides — said many communities are grappling with health challenges, the kind that ASU Health is designed to address: “They’re trying to figure out how to deal with the health disparities in their community. And look at us. We are doing it.”
Photo by Charlie Leight/ASU News
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Dr. Sherine Gabriel, executive vice president of ASU Health, speaks during the groundbreaking event Thursday in downtown Phoenix.
Photo by Samantha Chow/Arizona State University
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Dr. John Shufeldt (second from left) readies for the ceremonial groundbreaking for the ASU Health headquarters on April 9 in downtown Phoenix. The emergency medicine doctor and health entrepreneur's nine-figure gift last fall created the John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering. Also pictured are three members of HonorHealth executive leadership: Dr. James Whitfill (left), Dr. Priya Radhakrishnan and Dr. John Neil.
Photo by Samantha Chow/Arizona State University
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