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Merit Health Systems Announces New CEO of Medical Center at Lancaster in Lancaster, Texas

Posted on: Monday, 19 November 2007, 18:00 CST

Merit Health Systems, LLC announced today the appointment of Michael P. Curran as CEO of Medical Center at Lancaster in Lancaster, Texas, and significant capital investment in facility aesthetics, technology and patient care.

Curran most recently served as CEO of Toppenish Community Hospital in Toppenish, WA. Under his leadership, the hospital was named a 2006 Solucient Benchmarks for Success Top 100 Hospital, based on patient outcomes, patient safety, core measures, financial efficiency and volume growth.

Prior to joining Toppenish, he served as COO of Venice Regional Medical Center in Venice, FL., COO of Charlotte Regional Medical Center in Punta Gorda, FL., and Assistant Executive Director of Riverview Regional Medical Center in Gadsden, AL. He holds a master's degree in health administration from Cornell University and earned a bachelor's degree in biology from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY.

A member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, Curran has been active in Rotary, and served on both the Strategic Planning and Patient Safety Committees for the Washington State Hospital Association.

"Michael is an energetic, talented and strategic thinker and leader," said Tyree G. Wilburn, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for Merit Health Systems, LLC. "His experience and professional success with health care organizations across the United States make him perfectly suited to lead our Dallas/Fort Worth facility."

"This is an exciting time for the Medical Center at Lancaster," Curran said. "Our 90-bed facility is located in a thriving Metroplex suburb and we have a multitude of growth opportunities. Over the coming months, in partnership with members of our medical staff, our community will see a number of new services being offered together with expanded efforts centered around renovation, implementation of new equipment and technologies, and upgrades and improvements across the campus."

The additional capital investment will provide for aesthetic upgrades and will support development of new service lines and initiatives including:

Acquisition of new imaging equipment including a 1.5 Tesla fixed MRI, a rad/flouroscopy x-ray room and an ultrasound machine.

Implementation of technology known as PACS (picture archiving and communication system) throughout the radiology areas.

Purchase of additional orthopedic surgical equipment and instrumentation to support a newly recruited orthopedic surgeon.

Replacement of colonoscopy and endoscopy equipment and various other outpatient surgical and diagnostic technologies.

Opening of a hyperbaric oxygen and wound therapy center.

Launching of a comprehensive bariatric surgery program centered around an experienced bariatric surgeon.

"Merit Health Systems is committed to continue to invest in the future of Medical Center at Lancaster," Wilburn added. "With the strong leadership that is in place, its committed and quality medical staff, and a talented group of employees and volunteers, the hospital continues to be an important health care resource for the people of southwest Dallas County."

Joining Curran on the leadership team as the new chief nursing officer is Linda D. Broome, MSA, MA, RN, CPHQ. Broome has a long history in health care operations across Dallas/Fort Worth, including many years with HCA, and brings to Medical Center at Lancaster a passion for nursing, mentoring and management. In addition, in 2007, Jeremy L. Clark joined Medical Center at Lancaster as Chief Operating Officer. He gained experience with Tenet Healthcare, HCA and the managed care industry prior to joining the leadership team.

"All of our future expansion and renovation efforts will be aimed at improving the patient care experience and bringing needed services to the people in the communities we serve," Curran added. "Our patients, physicians and this community will be the greatest benefactors of these efforts."

For information about Medical Center at Lancaster, please visit www.mclancaster.com or call 972-274-7582.

ABOUT MEDICAL CENTER AT LANCASTER

Medical Center at Lancaster (MCL) opened its doors to the public when part of HCA in 1983, and is located on 35 acres in the southern outskirts of Dallas, Texas. Merit Health Systems acquired the hospital from American MedTrust in November, 2004. A 90-bed acute care hospital, MCL provides 24-hour emergency services, inpatient and outpatient surgery, cardiac and intensive care, inpatient geriatric psychiatry, outpatient senior behavioral health, inpatient dialysis, and inpatient/outpatient cardiac, pulmonary, and physical rehabilitation services. The Radiology Department offers around-the-clock services with CT scan, bone density, MRI, nuclear medicine, ultrasound, mammography, and interventional radiology.

The JCAHO accredited hospital has approximately 300 employees and more than 100 board certified or board eligible physicians on its medical staff. The medical staff's strengths include primary care and internal medicine, cardiology, obstetrics, gynecology, nephrology, urology, pediatrics, emergency medical care, general surgery as well as orthopedic surgery, The staff is fully represented for all other specialties for consultation purposes as patient needs arise.

Southern Dallas County is rapidly moving from a rural environment to a suburban environment. Medical Center at Lancaster is located in one of the fastest growing markets in the U.S., and is becoming the community hospital of choice for Southwest Dallas and Ellis counties.

ABOUT MERIT HEALTH SYSTEMS, LLC

Based in Louisville, Ky., Merit is a private hospital management company focused on owning and operating urban and suburban community hospitals. Founded in 2002, Merit (www.merithealth.com) owns and operates hospitals in San Antonio, Texas; Lancaster, Texas; Chicago, Illinois; and Montclair, New Jersey.

Source: Business Wire

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