October 22, 2020 - TCO
Twin Cities Orthopedics Announces New Chief Executive Officer, Framework for Continued Growth
Aaron Johnson succeeds Troy Simonson as CEO of the independent orthopedic practice, with Simonson continuing as CEO of Revo Health, concentrating on supporting the growth of healthcare practices locally and nationwide.
Today the Twin Cities Orthopedics (TCO) Board of Directors announced the promotion of Aaron Johnson to Chief Executive Officer, a role held by Troy Simonson since 2013. The leadership change marks an important step in the continued growth of the independent orthopedic practice.
After earning a master’s degree in healthcare administration from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities in 2007, Johnson became Executive Director of a local surgery center before joining TCO in 2010. He quickly rose inside the organization, becoming Chief Operating Officer in 2013, overseeing clinic operations for TCO locations and local ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs).
As COO, Johnson was responsible for a number of innovations contributing to TCO’s market growth, notably managing the development of new TCO buildings and ASCs, while forging strong relationships with local health systems. He led the development and expansion of subspecialty service lines inside the organization, and played an integral role in establishing TCO as an industry leader in the delivery of value-based care.
“This is an incredible honor, and I’d like to thank the TCO physicians and Troy for putting their trust in me,” said Johnson. “Over the past decade, we’ve built an organization that prides itself on putting patients first, and the results speak for themselves. Not many companies, let alone inside healthcare, can say that 99% of patients would recommend them to family and friends, and the fact that we maintained that same level of care through a pandemic is a testament to Troy’s legacy. What we’re doing here is special, and it’s my responsibility to keep it that way, long into the future.”
Under Simonson’s guidance, TCO has experienced massive success, welcoming new physicians and locations across the Twin Cities metro and western Wisconsin, establishing strategic partnerships, and leading joint ventures with local organizations. Perhaps his most notable accomplishment is also his most recent: guiding the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic. Simonson credits his strong team, led by Johnson, with making all of these achievements possible.
“Aaron has been instrumental to TCO’s growth and success over the past 10 years, and there is no question the organization will thrive under his leadership,” said Simonson. “I cannot imagine someone better suited to maintain our service-driven culture, and challenge our teams to build off the momentum of the past decade. Aaron is a natural leader who understands this business inside and out. I’m looking forward to continuing to work closely with him in my role at Revo Health.”
In 2017, Twin Cities Orthopedics formed Revo Health, which absorbed TCO’s non-clinical departments to create efficiencies and scalability for long-term growth. When Infinite Health Collaborative (i-Health) was formed in 2019, Revo Health was positioned to support Revenue Cycle, HR, IT, and other needs for all operating divisions, including TCO. With Simonson as CEO, Revo Health is poised to help more independent practices grow, leaning on best practices developed during his time at TCO.
As Simonson puts it, “The reason Revo Health was created in the first place was because we wanted to take the things we were doing really well inside of TCO and bring them to more practices locally and across the country. Now more than ever, it’s apparent to us that delivering value-based care can, and should, be done in all areas of healthcare, which is why I’m excited to make that my focus. I will still be heavily involved with TCO from an executive leadership standpoint, only now TCO will technically be a client. I just hope Aaron doesn’t expect me to pick up the tab every time we grab lunch.”
Additional Leadership Transitions to Support Value-Based Care and Quality
Demand for Revo Health services, both locally and nationally, has skyrocketed over the past two years, largely due to healthcare organizations seeking to accelerate their value-based care offerings and quality initiatives. As a result, two additional leaders with dual responsibilities will transition to full-time roles within Revo Health.
In addition to supporting Revo clients at a national level, Justina Lehman, CNP, DNP, will continue to support the i-Health practices, including TCO, as the Vice President of Value-Based Care, while Rachel Uzlik, CPHQ, will do the same as Vice President of Quality. Both leaders are proven, cutting-edge innovators in healthcare. Under Lehman’s guidance, the TCO EXCEL Surgery & Recovery program recently celebrated its milestone 5,000th care bundle. Uzlik, meanwhile, developed a patient-reported outcomes program that reduced opioid prescriptions by 61%.