Ana Almeda, MD, FAAP, FCCM, CHCQM, has been named Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for Driscoll Children’s Hospital Rio Grande Valley (DCH RGV). As DCH RGV’s first CMO, Dr. Almeda will be responsible for leading a culture of excellence in the delivery of clinical services.

Dr. Almeda will establish the direction and priorities for Driscoll in enhancing the overall quality, safety, effectiveness, efficiency, and access to pediatric services in the Rio Grande Valley. As CMO, Dr. Almeda also will lead the efforts to bring graduate medical education and a pediatric residency program to DCH RGV.

“We’re extremely excited to have Dr. Almeda join our Driscoll Children’s Hospital Rio Grande Valley team as the inaugural Chief Medical Officer. After an exhaustive nationwide search, it was clear that she was the best candidate for the role in which she will drive quality within the institution and be instrumental in building the Valley’s first pediatric residency program,” said Matt Wolthoff, President of Driscoll Children’s Hospital Rio Grande Valley.

Dr. Almeda has been taking care of the children of South Texas for nearly 15 years as a pediatric intensivist and has served the Valley as a pediatric critical care medicine specialist for 12 years. Most recently she served in administrative roles with the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley as the Program Director for the Transitional Year Residency Program and as a Physician Advisor for DHR Health.

At Driscoll Children’s Hospital Rio Grande Valley, she will be directly involved with the Quality Department, Medical Staff Services, the development of the DCH RGV residency program, and day-to-day operations of the hospital.

“I am honored to be joining the Driscoll team that has been providing pediatric services to the children of South Texas. I have enjoyed providing pediatric critical care services to the kids in the Valley for 12 years. Now, I feel privileged to be the inaugural Chief Medical Officer at Driscoll Children’s Hospital Rio Grande Valley,” said Dr. Almeda. “I am excited to help elevate the pediatric services and help provide quality pediatric care with the use evidence-based medicine under one roof. We are building a great team of doctors that are committed to providing excellent pediatric care.”

Dr. Almeda received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio, and her medical degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. She completed a pediatric internship and her pediatric residency at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona. She also completed a pediatric critical care fellowship at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio.

“I am working with community physicians that have been providing care to kids in the Valley for many years; together we can continue to take care of the children here at home. We will be recruiting new specialists to the region. I am especially excited to help build the first-ever pediatric residency program in the Valley to train future pediatricians locally,” said Dr. Almeda.

Dr. Almeda is working on a Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Administration from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. She is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Society of Critical Care Medicine, and the Texas Medical Association. She is a triple board certified in General Pediatrics, Critical Care Medicine, and Health Care Quality Management.

“Dr. Almeda’s experience in serving the children of the Rio Grande Valley, her relationships with the local medical staff, and her experience with building a successful residency program make her the perfect candidate for the role and will make her a tremendous asset to Driscoll Health System,” said Wolthoff.

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