Former Optum exec returns to helm company

Photo: Martin Barraud/Getty Images

Dr. Amar Desai, who had previously spent years in various leadership roles at Optum Health, has returned to the company and will take over the role of CEO, according to a message Desai posted on LinkedIn.

Before his return, Desai had been president of healthcare delivery at CVS Health. He is currently an associate clinical professor of medicine at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California.

He will work alongside more than 135,000 team members and caregivers.

"Those of you that know me are familiar with my commitment to team, impact, and serving others," he said in his post. "I can't think of a more distinctive platform to make a larger difference in the health and healthcare of communities across the country."

Desai said the team puts patients and caregivers at the center of what the company does, and the focus will be on making interactions with patients matter.

"When this is done every day across our enterprise, we have the opportunity to meaningfully impact how care is delivered and experienced in the U.S. – one patient, one family, one neighborhood at a time," he said.

WHAT'S THE IMPACT?

The move comes after a strong quarter for Optum Health and its parent company, UnitedHealth Group. Revenue growth at the former during the second quarter helped fuel strong performance for the latter, according to a recent earnings call, with Optum growing 25% to $56.3 billion, and operating earnings growing 13% to $3.7 billion.

For Q2, Optum's operating margin of 6.6% compares to 7.3% in the prior year. Optum Health revenue per consumer served increased 33% over last year, driven by growth of more than 900,000 patients served under value-based care arrangements

The Optum Insight revenue backlog increased nearly $8 billion to more than $31 billion compared to a year ago, in part due to the addition of Change Healthcare and growth in its comprehensive managed services offerings for health systems.

Optum Rx revenue growth of 15% in the second quarter, according to UHG, resulted from "strong growth" in serving new clients, expanding membership of existing clients and double-digit growth across its home delivery, specialty, infusion and community-based pharmacy offerings. Adjusted scripts grew to 381 million compared to 357 million last year.

THE LARGER TREND

UHG's $5.4 billion acquisition of home health company LHC Group formally closed in February. LHC provides healthcare services in the home for a demographic of mostly older patients dealing with chronic illnesses and injuries. It will be melded with Optum, which manages drug benefits and offers data analytics services and works with more than 100 health plans.

Optum positioned the move as helping to advance value-based care and said it would accelerate the combined companies' ability to deliver integrated care, leading to improved outcomes.

Twitter: @JELagasse
Email the writer: Jeff.Lagasse@himssmedia.com