Houston, June 24, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HCA Houston Healthcare has named Elizabeth Ortega chief executive officer of The Woman’s Hospital of Texas, effective July 22, 2019. Ortega succeeds Ashley McClellan, who was recently promoted to the position of chief executive officer of HCA Midwest Health’s Research Medical Center in Kansas City.

Ortega has been the chief operating officer with Methodist Hospital and Methodist Children’s Hospital in San Antonio since 2013. In that position, she was responsible for extensive expansion and renovation of the facility. She facilitated significant growth of service line volume, led strategic planning for the largest construction project in Methodist Healthcare System’s history and helped the hospital achieve Comprehensive Stroke Accreditation for three consecutive years.

Prior to Methodist Healthcare System, Ortega served at Del Sol Medical Center in El Paso in the same capacity. She has also worked for Sunrise Medical Center and Sunrise Children’s Hospital in Las Vegas as well as Medical City Dallas Hospital.

“Elizabeth has demonstrated expertise in clinical operations, strategic planning, patient experience and physician relations during her tenure as COO at Methodist Hospital and Methodist Children’s Hospital,” said Troy Villarreal, president of HCA Houston Healthcare. “Her natural leadership ability and impressive work ethic qualify her to take the helm at The Woman’s Hospital of Texas.”

Villarreal added, “I want to take this opportunity to personally thank Ashley McClellan for her hard work, dedication, and expert guidance over the last four years. The Woman’s Hospital of Texas has grown and improved under her leadership. Her contributions have been invaluable and we will miss her, but know she will continue to be successful at Research Medical Center, which is a wonderful opportunity for her.”

Ortega earned a bachelor of science in corporate communication and a certificate in business administration from The University of Texas in Austin. She also received a master’s degree in business administration with a concentration in finance and strategy from Southern Methodist University. She is a fellow with the American College of Healthcare Executives.

About The Woman’s Hospital of Texas

Since 1976, The Woman’s Hospital of Texas has been the state’s premier facility dedicated to the health and well-being of women, newborns and children. The hospital offers expertise and outstanding care in breast health, imaging, gynecology, obstetrics, high-risk pregnancy, neonatology, minimally-invasive surgery and pediatric care. For more information, visit online at www.WomansHospital.com.

About HCA Houston Healthcare

HCA Houston Healthcare is the leading provider of healthcare in the Houston area, where excellent trained physicians, nurses and allied health professionals treat almost a million patients and provide more than $2 billion in charity care every year. With an employee base of 15,000, HCA Houston Healthcare’s comprehensive network includes 14 hospitals, nine outpatient surgery centers, nine freestanding emergency centers and numerous freestanding diagnostic imaging facilities in the greater Houston area. For more information, visit www.HCAHoustonHealthcare.com.