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CHARLESTON, W.Va. — State senator and pulmonologist, Tom Takubo, is adding another hat.
The West Virginia University Health System said that Takubo will now serve as executive vice president of provider relations. The announcement indicated that Takubo will continue to maintain his clinical practice. And he remains majority leader for Republicans in the state Senate.
Takubo will join the WVU Health System Oct. 31.
“Tom is an outstanding physician leader whose clinical experience and insights as a community-based physician will provide important direction to us as we continue to build new relationships and partnerships with external healthcare organizations and other businesses,” stated Albert Wright, president and chief executive of the WVU Health System.
“Tom will focus heavily on growing new relationships with external physicians and physician groups, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and other hospitals and health systems across the state and region while also serving as a catalyst to spark new economic development by finding ways for them and other out-of-state businesses to partner with us.”
The announcement indicated Takubo will also work closely with internal WVU Medicine clinical departments and divisions across the Health System to focus on coordination of clinical goals.
A pulmonologist trained at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, Takubo is a founding member and partner of Pulmonary Associates of Charleston, a community-based, physician-owned lung center that serves the communities of Charleston and South Charleston. He has served in the state Senate representing the 17th District since January 2015.
“I am absolutely thrilled that Dr. Takubo will be joining the WVU Health System as a senior leader,” stated WVU President Gordon Gee, who also serves as WVU Health System board chairman. “His sterling reputation, his work as a community-based physician, and his leadership and public service to our great state are all excellent attributes that will benefit WVU Medicine.”
After receiving his undergraduate degree from Marshall University and completing medical school, Takubo completed his specialty training in pulmonology and critical care, after having watched his father, who was a coal miner, suffer from black lung and lung cancer. Takubo is also widely recognized as having brought the most advanced lung diagnostics and non-invasive treatment options to West Virginia.
“This is an exciting opportunity to work with an innovative organization that is doing amazing things for the people of West Virginia,” Takubo stated . “As I look at how WVU Medicine continues to invest in its people and programs, I am thrilled to know that I will be part of it and able to make contributions to the overall effort to build a highly comprehensive and integrated network of care.”