Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc. Appoints New Chief Operating Officer, Xochy Hurtado

San Antonio, Texas, April 9, 2019 - Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc. has appointed Xochy Hurtado to the role of chief operating officer (COO). Hurtado is a native Texan and seasoned healthcare executive, having served in leadership roles at hospitals in San Antonio, the Upper Gulf Coast and across South Texas. As COO, Hurtado will lead the organization’s operations in San Antonio and across its 74-county service area in South Texas.

“We at Methodist Healthcare Ministries have an important mission of serving humanity to honor God, and each of us takes our role in advancing that mission to heart. We knew we needed an individual who would have both the business acumen and experience working in community to fill this important role but more essentially, would also have a heart for our mission,” said president & CEO, Jaime Wesolowski. “Xochy is a passionate and experienced healthcare leader with an established record of success. More importantly, she has embodied our values through her service at Methodist Healthcare institutions, which share our mission. And, being a native Texan, Xochy has a deep understanding of the unmet healthcare needs our patients and clients are challenged by. We are delighted she will be joining our team.”

Hurtado will begin in her new role May 6. As COO, she will oversee Methodist Healthcare Ministries’ clinical and regional operations, and report to the CEO. The clinical operations include two primary care clinics in San Antonio and two School Based Health Centers in Schertz and Marion. Regional operations include Methodist Healthcare Ministries’ Wesley Nurse Program, Community Counseling Services and family wellness programs in the Rio Grande Valley, Coastal Bend, Laredo and the U.S./Mexico southern border, the Concho Valley and Texas Hill Country. Her portfolio will also include community engagement efforts to identify health issues and design collaborative, community-driven solutions which champion and empower the community voice.

"What an amazing honor and answer to prayer, to be chosen for this role with Methodist Healthcare Ministries,” said Hurtado. “As a Hispanic female, I understand the cultural and socioeconomic challenges many of these communities face, as my own family has faced similar challenges. Having recently served a community where access to care is limited, I bring a unique passion to this role that aligns with scripture and my own personal values. Matthew 25:34-40 instructs us to ‘serve the least of these’ and Methodist Healthcare Ministries has made it their mission, which I proudly support, to do just that. I pray that I may continue to glorify God with the work I do through Methodist Healthcare Ministries and I give thanks to God and the board of directors for this incredible opportunity to serve.”

Hurtado is the former chief executive officer at Val Verde Regional Medical Center, in Del Rio, Texas, a 93-bed, nonprofit acute care, rural hospital formally managed by Methodist Healthcare System. Hurtado was responsible for operational efficiency and quality improvement, while leading the culture of the hospital to be patient-centered and mission focused.

While in Del Rio, Xochy has been actively engaged in several community initiatives to improve the quality of life and health outcomes for area residents. She led an unprecedented cooperative effort with the City of Del Rio, Val Verde County, the San Felipe School District and the Val Verde County Hospital District to provide expense coverage in full payment, or at a Medicare discounted rate, for residents of Val Verde County who utilize the Air Life/Air Evac Helicopter. Similarly, her leadership supported a community outreach collaboration with the San Felipe ISD to reduce teen pregnancy and address childhood obesity and diabetes.

Born and raised in San Antonio, Hurtado earned her Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science from Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, and her Master of Science with a specialization in Healthcare Administration from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. She is a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives.