AUSTIN (KXAN) — St. David’s Medical Center has a new chief medical officer on its leadership team, officials announced Tuesday.

Dr. Rodolfo “Rudy” O. Garza began operating in his new role Aug. 28. Previously, Garza had served as chief medical officer at Methodist Hospital Northeast in San Antonio. During his work at that 237-bed acute care facility, he helped create advance patient treatment plans “to better support cardiothoracic surgery and oncology services,” per a release.

“Dr. Garza has a proven track record of improving clinical results during his nearly two decades in hospital leadership roles,” Todd Steward, chief executive officer of St. David’s Medical Center, said in the release. “Under his guidance, patients at St. David’s Medical Center will continue to receive the highest standard of medical care.”

Before serving at Methodist Hospital Northeast, Garza worked as an associate chief medical officer at Methodist Hospital in San Antonio, as well as a medical director of a dialysis unit and worked as an executive partner of San Antonio Kidney, the release added.

Garza received board certification through the American Board of Internal Medicine for internal medicine and nephrology. His residency specialized in internal medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, the release added. He earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Texas at Austin, and is currently working toward a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

St. David’s Medical Center is part of the St. David’s HealthCare system. St. David’s Medical Center offers care at three different locations, St. David’s Medical Center, Heart Hospital of Austin and St. David’s Georgetown Hospital.