NASHVILLE (AP) — Nashville-based HCA has a new chief operating officer, Sam Hazen, a 32-year veteran of HCA.

Hazen has served as president of operations for HCA since 2011, overseeing the operations of the company's 166 hospitals and 113 freestanding surgery centers, domestically and in the United Kingdom.

Hazen has also served as chief financial officer for hospitals in Georgia and Nevada, and as a regional CFO in Kentucky.

Before that, he served in a number of leadership roles at the company, most notably as president of HCA's Western Group. In that role, he was responsible for seven divisions and 63 hospitals in nine states.