Dr. Andrew Agwunobi’s 2024 return to UConn Health as CEO and executive vice president of health affairs came at a critical inflection point for the state’s public academic medical center.
A pediatrician with an MBA from Stanford, Agwunobi previously led UConn Health for eight years before departing in 2022 to join Humana. Less than two years later, he was recruited back to oversee John Dempsey Hospital, the UConn School of Medicine and Dental School, and a $1 billion health system with more than 6,000 employees.
Now, Agwunobi is at the center of high-level negotiations that could reshape Connecticut’s healthcare landscape. UConn Health is in talks to acquire or affiliate with Bristol, Day Kimball and Waterbury hospitals.
Some state leaders say the move could stabilize UConn Health’s finances and preserve community access to care, while critics question how the state will pay for the acquisitions.
Financial stabilization has been a top priority under Agwunobi’s leadership. After years of steep deficits, UConn Health reported an operating gain of $15.2 million for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2025, but that included $193.8 million in state support compared to $1.6 billion in total revenue.
Agwunobi has said his long-term goal is to reduce UConn Health’s reliance on state appropriations by forging public-private partnerships and expanding patient care. The deal to acquire or affiliate with three other Connecticut hospitals could go a long way in achieving that aim.
“We’re on the right trajectory,” he told HBJ in January, “but it’s going to take a lot of work.”