LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s corrections department has hired a new medical director as the agency tries to address a shortage of health care providers.

Director Scott Frakes announced in a statement Thursday the hiring of Dr. Harbans S. Deol. Deol previously worked in the Iowa Department of Corrections as health services administrator. He earned a Ph.D. from New York University and a D.O. from Des Moines University, followed by a resident at the Norwalk Hospital, an affiliate of Yale University.

Deol was in private practice for more than 15 years before joining Iowa’s corrections department. He also worked as a research scientist for a pharmaceutical company.

Deol begins his new position on Jan. 2, with an annual salary of $270,000. He replaces Dr. Randy Kohl, who recently retired.