National Surgical Hospitals Acquires Interest in Skyway Surgery Center in Chico, California

National Surgical Hospitals, owner, operator and developer of surgical hospitals and surgery centers in partnership with local physicians, today announced that it recently acquired a 40% interest in Skyway Surgery Center in Chico, California. Majority ownership in the facility remains with the surgery center’s 20 physician partners.

The 12,600-square-foot multi-specialty surgery center, which opened in July 2004, has an emphasis on orthopedics and includes three operating rooms and two procedure rooms. It currently performs over 4,200 surgeries annually.

Commenting on the announcement, John G. Rex-Waller, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of NSH, said, “We are very pleased to announce our affiliation with the physicians of Skyway Surgery Center, which represents our fifth surgery center in California and ninth in total. This partnership underscores the increasing reach of our operations and our philosophy of building strong and lasting relationships with our physician partners so together, we can always offer patient-friendly, efficient and cost-effective healthcare to in our communities.”

Commenting on the agreement, Dr. Ray Yip, one of the managing partners for the physician group, said, “Offering a broad range of services in the areas of center management, operations and marketing, together with deep knowledge of the industry, National Surgical Hospitals has earned a reputation as a leader in the surgery industry. We anticipate that NSH will provide solid leadership and direction for Skyway as we strive to accomplish our mission to deliver the highest possible level of healthcare to our patients in a convenient and pleasant outpatient setting. We look forward to a long-lasting relationship with NSH as we work together to grow our center.”

National Surgical Hospitals is the innovative healthcare partner that empowers physicians to thrive in a changing marketplace. NSH has operational surgical hospitals located in Arizona, Idaho, Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Aside from its focus on surgical hospitals, NSH has operational orthopedic-focused surgery centers located in Arizona, California, Michigan and Texas. NSH has a strong pipeline of additional opportunities under consideration.

For information about NSH and how it is pioneering a better way to deliver surgical care, visit the Company’s website at www.nshinc.com.