UHG Enterprise Physician
Experience Council Newsletter Q2 2024
The UnitedHealth Group Physician Experience Council exists to represent the collective voice of employed UHG physicians and to facilitate the development of an invigorated, distinctive UHG health workforce. We are excited to provide quarterly updates for our UHG clinicians!
Hello! My name is Ivy Smith Coleman, MD, and I am the new chair of the UHG Enterprise Physician Experience Council. I am a family practice physician in Enterprise Clinical Services, where I am a senior medical director.
Welcome to this quarter’s newsletter, where we are introducing a new format, which will now include engaging profiles of our colleagues in a recurring feature called Off the Chart. Enjoy!
Dan Murrey Selected as Optum Health's
New Chief Medical Officer
In this role, Dan will report to Optum Health CEO, Dr. Amar Desai, and foster partnerships across the enterprise to design, align and execute the Optum Health clinical agenda, which has been noted to:
- Ensure patients receive the highest-quality, evidence-based care
- Drive superior outcomes
- Improve the patient and clinician experience
Dan previously served as chief physician executive for SCA Health and senior vice president for Optum Specialty Care. He’s worked on facilitating value-based care arrangements, aligning specialty and primary care, and physician engagement in patient safety and clinical quality.
Dan is an orthopedic surgeon by clinical background and co-founded OrthoCarolina, where he was also CEO. He earned his MD from Harvard Medical School and his master’s in public policy from Harvard Kennedy School.
Off the Chart
Welcome to Off the Chart, where we introduce you to UHG’s nationwide family of dedicated physicians by highlighting their human side. This is a fantastic start to highlighting our valued physicians from across the enterprise.
Each future quarterly newsletter will allow us to learn more about our highly respected physicians. On the chart for this installment are Dr. Aaron Cohen and Dr. Moira Ogden.
Sandra Nichols, Retired Physician Executive,
honored by the National Medical Association
The National Medical Association (NMA) Annual Health Policy Awards Dinner held in Washington, D.C. on April 13, was a gathering dedicated to recognizing the extraordinary achievements and unwavering commitment to excellence within the medical profession.
The theme was “The Quest for Health Justice” – a call to action reflecting on the collective dedication to ensuring equitable access to healthcare for all. Dr. Sandra Nichols (recently retired – SVP, CMO Health Inclusion & Community Engagement, UHG Medical Affairs) was honored for meeting the challenges of marked rapid changes and constant growth in healthcare driving unprecedented advancements in medicine and pioneering thoughtful practices to serve diverse communities. Dr. Nichols received the James M. Whittico, Jr. MD, Community Advocate Award. She was extremely delighted and grateful to see her UHC/Optum family in attendance. The Medical Directors in attendance included Erika Gentry, Evonne Crump, David Agyako-Wiredu and Monte Harris.
The NMA is the collective voice of African American physicians and the leading force for parity and justice in medicine and the elimination of disparities in health. Senior Medical Director, Erika D. Gentry, MD, MBA is the designated UHG Medical Affairs liaison to the NMA.
Feeling Burned Out?
Give Yourself a Check-up Today!
Our vision is for our clinicians to thrive in an environment where they experience joy at work while mitigating the factors contributing to burnout.
Joy in Practice is a collaborative effort across UnitedHealth Group to bring together internal and external partners who are committed to reducing burnout and increasing professional joy for clinicians.
Clinician burnout is real suffering among people dedicated to preventing and relieving the suffering of others.
A lack of professional joy is a significant threat to a vibrant health system, and it can adversely affect staff turnover, health care costs, and patient safety and satisfaction. Joy is about finding connections to meaning and purpose in your work.