CEO
UW Health | Madison
Dr. Alan Kaplan is chief executive officer of UW Health, a multi-state academic health system affiliated with the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. The system comprises six hospitals in Wisconsin and Illinois and serves 800,000 patients annually. With more than 1,800 faculty physicians and 24,000 total employees, the health system is one of Dane County’s largest employers.
In October, UW Health opened its new Eastpark Medical Center, the largest ambulatory medical center to open in the U.S. this year. The 475,000-square-foot, seven-story facility offers more than 40 types of specialty care, including integrated specialized care for women, and is one of the first facilities in the world to offer upright proton therapy.
Under his leadership, UW Health entered a joint operating agreement with UnityPoint Health-Meriter in 2017.
Education: Bachelor’s, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; M.D., Rush Medical College; master’s, Carnegie Mellon University
The future of your industry: “Tumultuous. Demand will continue to rise as the baby boomers age. At the same time, we have significant headwinds including financial challenges, workforce shortages and growing pharmaceutical costs.”
Favorite Wisconsin destination: “Small town and rural dinner clubs.”
Advice for first-time leaders: “Always consider feedback as a gift. Use it to build self-awareness and improve your leadership skills.”
Playlist for commute/run: “Country music. I like the stories, messages and clever lyrics. One of my favorite lyrics: ‘If you don’t lie about me, I won’t tell the truth about you.’”
2022 Wisconsin 275 Profile
CEO
UW Health | Madison
Dr. Alan Kaplan assumed leadership of UW Health in 2016, With more than 1,850 physicians and 21,000 employees, the Madison-based academic health system operates seven hospitals, including the state’s No. 1 ranked hospital, and over 80 outpatient sites. Under his leadership, UW Health entered a joint operating agreement with UnityPoint Health-Meriter in 2017. Kaplan was previously executive vice president and chief clinical transformation officer for Iowa-based UnityPoint Health. He was also the founder and president/CEO of UnityPoint Clinic and president/CEO of UnityPoint at Home.
Education: Bachelor’s, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; M.D., Rush Medical College; master of medical management, Carnegie Mellon University
Hobby/passion: “I am a conservation farmer, which is a method of farming that promotes minimal soil disturbance and planting diversity.”
Fun fact: “About 15 years ago I realized that I needed to improve my communications skills in order to lead, so I joined an improv class and took that class every week for a year. I’m still not funny, but I can speak in front of a group of people with no problem.”
Toughest business challenge you’ve ever faced: “Overcoming conflicting cultures in times of growth and change is very challenging. This was true when we were developing a joint operating agreement between UW Health and UnityPoint Health-Meriter.”