Carolyn Wilson will serve as executive vice president and chief operating officer for Fairview Health Services, the company announced Thursday.

The newly created position includes taking over the duties of Dan Anderson, president of Fairview community hospitals, who announced he’ll leave the company later this year, according to a press release.

Wilson, who began the role on Saturday, also serves as co-president of University of Minnesota Health, the newly created brand for all health services operated jointly by Fairview and the University of Minnesota.

She previously served as president of the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview, which joins Amplatz Children’s Hospital, Fairview Maple Grove Medical Center and other University of Minnesota Physicians clinics and phone service lines under the new brand.

“Fairview is putting a tremendous leader at the helm of our effort to integrate academic and community resources for the benefit of our patients,” Fairview president and CEO Rulon Stacey said in a release.

The Fairview system serves more than 625,000 people a year. Two proposed mergers with the company came to light last year.

State officials expressed concerns last spring over a potential merger with South Dakota-based Sanford Health, which later pulled out of negotiations.

University President Eric Kaler proposed last year that the University take over Fairview, but the company declined to consider the offer.