MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Albert L. Wright, Jr., president and CEO of the West Virginia University (WVU) Health System, announced today (Sept. 27) that Tom Takubo, D.O., will join the Health System as its executive vice president of provider relations.
“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,” Wright said. “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.”
Dr. Takubo will also work closely with internal WVU Medicine clinical departments and divisions across the Health System to ensure a high degree of integration and alignment around 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 in West Virginia. He also serves in the West Virginia Senate, representing the 17th District since January 2015, and is also the Senate Majority Leader.
“I am absolutely thrilled that Dr. Takubo will be joining the WVU Health System as a senior leader,” WVU President and WVU Health System Board Chair Gordon Gee said. “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.”
Born and raised in West Virginia, Takubo was once a paramedic and was named paramedic of the year. He also represented West Virginia in national emergency medical services competitions. 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 said. “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.”
Takubo will join the WVU Health System on Oct. 31 and will continue to maintain a clinical practice.