A native of Nigeria, Dr Margaret-Mary, whose appointment is effective 5 December 2021, is also the group’s executive vice president. She will lead UnitedHealth’s clinical innovations, with a particular focus on improving health equity.
Dr. Margaret-Mary Wilson succeeds Dr. Richard Migliori, who has been with the company for 25 years and served as medical director since 2013. “I am honoured to be appointed Medical Director of UnitedHealth Group. This is an incredible time for healthcare and I look forward to working with my 340,000 colleagues to address some of the most critical needs and exciting opportunities in the healthcare system. I would also like to thank Dr. Migliori for his service, contributions and mentorship,” said Dr. Margaret-Mary Wilson in a statement.
UnitedHealth Group is the largest health insurance company in the United States, with a market capitalisation of over $400.7 billion. UnitedHealth Group has two distinct businesses: UnitedHealthcare, which provides health coverage and benefits services, and Optum, which provides information and technology-based health services.
UnitedHealth Group, headquartered in the Minneapolis suburb of Minnetonka, has more than 70,000 employees serving more than 7 million medical members worldwide. In 2020, UnitedHealth Group had revenues of US$257.1 billion. The group has announced that it will exceed $300 billion in revenue by 2022 and maintain its position as the largest health insurer in the US.
Example of hard work
Dr Margaret-Mary Wilson, says UnitedHealth Group, exemplifies hard work, courage and perseverance. She was born and raised in Nigeria by a single mother who taught her to never set limits on her goals. In her new position, she is expected to oversee more than 340,000 qualified medical experts and lead the company’s clinical innovations, with a particular focus on improving health equity. Prior to her appointment, she was Executive Vice President and Deputy Chief Medical Officer.
Prior to that, Dr. Margaret-Mary Wilson was chief medical officer and senior vice president of United Healthcare, the operating division of UnitedHealth Group and the health benefits business of UnitedHealth Group. She worked in partnership with corporate clinical leaders and teams to provide clinical governance and drive clinical transformation within healthcare delivery and clinical care globally.
Respected University Professor
Prior to joining UnitedHealthcare, Dr Margaret-Mary Wilson was an associate professor of internal medicine and geriatrics at St. Louis University in Missouri, USA. She joined the faculty of St. Louis University School of Medicine as an Assistant Professor (2000-2005) and Associate Professor (2005-2006). She also served as Director of Geriatric Outpatient Services and Director of the Ortho-Geriatric Service. In addition, Dr. Margaret-Mary Wilson joined Gateway Medical Center in Granite City, Illinois as a consulting physician (2006-2008). She has also worked in direct patient care, medical education, patient safety, quality improvement, risk management and utilization management in various healthcare settings in Africa, the UK and the US.
Dr Margaret-Mary Wilson joined UnitedHealth Group in 2008 as Regional Medical Director. She was responsible for inpatient utilization management; quality assurance; and guiding providers and facilities in the application of evidence-based clinical guidelines to support optimal recovery, cost-effective use of resources, and improved health care outcomes.
Physician and health care management expert
Dr Margaret-Mary Wilson holds an MD from the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria, the first medical school in West Africa. She joined the university in 1977 and graduated in 1983. Thereafter she did postgraduate training in Internal Medicine at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, from 1985 to 1990. She also holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration, with a specialization in Health Care Management, from Western Governors University, an online university based in Salt Lake City, USA.
In addition, Dr. Margaret-Mary Wilson is certified in Internal Medicine and Healthcare Quality Management and has completed a clinical cardiology fellowship at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith Hospital, UK and an internal medicine residency at New York University Downtown Hospital.
Dr Margaret-Mary Wilson is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in the UK and a member of the American Institute of Healthcare Quality, the American Board of Quality Assurance & Utilization Review Physicians and the National Postgraduate Medical College in Nigeria.
Winner of several awards
Dr Margaret-Mary has received numerous awards in medicine, including the inaugural UnitedHealth Group Sages Interdisciplinary Collaboration Award, the Kathy Humphrey Award for Excellence in Promoting Cultural Diversity in Medical Education, the William Osler Teaching Award from St. Louis University for Excellence in Clinical Teaching, the Gladney Diversity Award for Outstanding Performance as a Medical Educator, and the Chevening Award from the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office. In addition, she received a 2019 Business of Pride Award from the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal and was named a 2018 Woman Worth Watching by the Diversity Journal.
Additionally, in 2021, Dr. Margaret-Mary Wilson was listed by the National Diversity Council as one of the 100 most influential African-American leaders in business. This award recognizes professionals, like Dr. Wilson, who have set themselves apart by their resolve and accomplishments to make a significant impact in the workplace. “When I look back on my career and my professional life, this is probably one of the most significant awards I have ever received. I received this award on behalf of the teams I work with, and in particular on behalf of the UnitedHealth Group, which I have been privileged to be a part of for the past 12 years. UnitedHealth has established itself as a champion of inclusion and diversity. The company has truly built on these principles and given us the opportunity to become an inclusive organisation as we work together to transform healthcare and help the people we serve,” said Dr Margaret-Mary Wilson.
She has published several articles in peer-reviewed medical journals and textbooks.
