Banner Health Appoints Dr. John Rares Almasan as Chief AI, Data and Infrastructure Officer

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Banner Health, one of the nation's largest fully integrated nonprofit health systems,  announced the appointment of Dr. John Rares Almasan as senior vice president, chief artificial intelligence, data and infrastructure officer. In this newly created role, effective June 1, Dr. Almasan will lead Banner's efforts to use artificial intelligence and technology to make health care simpler, faster and more accessible for patients and care teams.

Dr. Almasan will coordinate Banner's technology foundation, data systems and AI capabilities to improve patient care, streamline operations and support innovation. Working closely with digital, engineering and business leaders across the organization, he will build a secure, intelligent technology system that continues to put patients first.

"Banner Health is proving that exceptional care and affordability can coexist, and technology is a key part of that equation. I'm thrilled to join a mission-driven organization that's thinking boldly about how AI can make health care easier for patients and care teams alike,” said Dr. Almasan. “Together, we'll build intelligent systems that remove barriers, accelerate breakthroughs, and keep Banner at the forefront of health care innovation, all while keeping patient safety as our uncompromising priority."

Dr. Almasan brings more than 20 years of AI and technology leadership experience from globally recognized organizations. He joins Banner from TIAA, a financial services organization, where he most recently served as senior managing director and global head of AI and emerging technology. Before that, he led AI and cloud initiatives at McKinsey & Company and held senior technology roles at Nationwide Insurance, American Express and Bank of America. Dr. Almasan holds a doctorate degree in business administration, graduate degrees in engineering and public administration and executive education from the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Pennsylvania. He's also a published author, patent inventor, and adjunct professor at Arizona State University and Grand Canyon University.

Banner Health is investing more than $1 billion in AI, robotics, telemedicine and cloud-based technology to transform how care is delivered and help both patients and health care workers.  In addition to supporting research and innovation efforts, AI helps Banner teams care for more patients efficiently by reducing paperwork, allowing faster treatment access while doctors and nurses focus on patient care. Banner’s AI program prioritizes safety through rigorous reviews by ethicists and clinical leaders, annual audits, and partnerships with companies like Anthropic that are committed to building safer AI systems.