University of Wisconsin Health officials announced Tuesday that CEO and founder of Unity Point Clinic Alan Kaplan will serve as the new chief executive officer of UW Health.

UW Health’s 1,400 physicians and 16,500 staff will welcome Kaplan this May, according to a statement from UW Health.

Kaplan is currently based in Iowa, where he serves as the executive vice president and chief clinical transformation officer for Unity Point Health, the statement said.

Kaplan will be replace Jeff Grossman, who has served as interim CEO since July 2015 when UW Hospital and UW Medical Foundation merged. The merge resulted in a single financial structure for the two main components of UW Health.

In an email to The Badger Herald, Kaplan said he is thrilled to become part of an organization that has built a strong foundation for change.

“UW Health is well-poised for a successful future locally, regionally and worldwide through the direct delivery of care, education and research,” he said.

Kaplan received his medical degree from Rush University in Chicago in 1985. Deciding to transition from the operating room to the operation board, he graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a master’s degree in medical management in 2001, according to the statement.

Kaplan is an American College of Healthcare Executives fellow and American Association of Physician Leadership fellow, where he previously served as chairman of the board.

Robert Golden, dean of the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, said in the statement Kaplan’s record of driving and managing change will benefit UW Health as it plans to move toward a more integrated academic health care system.

Kaplan said he looks forward to working alongside staff at UW Health.

“I look forward to meeting and facilitating the work of the many talented people who have so effectively brought UW Health to national prominence and to ensure that the patients we serve experience that level of excellence every time they entrust us with their care,” he said.