After a month-long process to name a new chief executive, UnitedHealth Group and Optum have appointed a new CEO of Surgical Care Affiliates.
OptumHealth CEO Wyatt Decker, MD, named Caitlin Zulla CEO of SCA on Dec. 13. In this role, she will oversee the company responsible for 210 surgical facilities and 8,500 teammates. The company works with 7,500 physicians who perform around 1 million procedures each year at SCA facilities.
Ms. Zulla joined SCA in 2015 and most recently served as chief administrative officer and CFO. She succeeds Tony Kilgore as CEO. Ms. Zulla experienced early success with SCA in transforming its revenue cycle operations and building great teams.
"I have gotten to know Caitlin over the past year and more deeply through the selection process, and I am confident she is the right person to lead the future of SCA," said Dr. Decker in an internal announcement to SCA team members. "She is a strong advocate and ambassador for SCA across UnitedHealth Group and will be an excellent addition to the OptumCare senior leadership team."
Over the past two years, Ms. Zulla has served as a popular keynote speaker and panelist at previous Becker's ASC Review Annual Meetings. "Caitlin is an unusually gifted leader and person," said Scott Becker, publisher of Becker's Healthcare. "She is poised, focused and remarkably talented. SCA is lucky to have her in such a role."
Ms. Zulla inherits a company with a steep growth trajectory. On Dec. 3, Optum revealed it expects 2020 revenue to jump 14 percent, with OptumHealth predicted to have double-digit percentage revenue growth over the next several years, with SCA as a driver for that success.