Name: Krista Nelson

Previous title: Chief operating officer, Optum Health

New title: Chief executive officer, Optum Health

Optum Health, the care delivery arm of UnitedHealth, has tapped Krista Nelson as its new CEO effective immediately. Nelson announced the C-suite reshuffling via LinkedIn last week. 

The executive has worked for UnitedHealthcare, UnitedHealth’s payer arm, off and on since 2009, according to her LinkedIn. Nelson was last responsible for overseeing the growth of government programs before switching over to UnitedHealth’s health services division Optum in May, when she was tapped as COO of Optum Health.

Now, Nelson replaces Dr. Patrick Conway as the chief executive of Optum Health. Conway has been CEO of Optum since May and CEO of Optum Health since June.

Conway will remain in his post as CEO of Optum following the reshuffling, according to his LinkedIn.

UnitedHealth has been reworking its C-suite this year as it looks to rebuild investor confidence. The company has struggled with high medical costs and underperformed financial expectations.

Some executive replacements have been made in rapid succession. Roger Connor, for example, was named CFO of Optum in May, only to depart the company at the beginning of November. He was replaced by Optum finance veteran Ben Eklo. The CEO of UnitedHealth’s data and analytics arm Optum Insight has likewise changed twice since May.

Optum Health underperformed investor expectations in third quarter earnings last month. During UnitedHealth’s earnings call, Conway said the division struggled with growing pains related to adding too many providers to its networks too quickly, in addition to Biden-era reimbursement cuts.

New leadership will be tasked with righting the ship, including switching to a direct physician employment model and cutting unprofitable members.