Prime Healthcare Services Completes Purchase of Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center, Reno, Nevada

ONTARIO, Calif., July 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Prime Healthcare Services announced today that it has completed its purchase of Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center, located in Reno, Nevada, from Dignity Health (formerly Catholic Healthcare West). Prime Healthcare also announced that Helen Lidholm, BSN, MBA, the current chief operating officer at the hospital, has been promoted to chief executive officer. She replaces retiring CEO Mike Uboldi.

"We believe Saint Mary's will be an important acquisition for Prime Healthcare and will continue our mission of saving hospitals, saving jobs and saving lives," said Prem Reddy, MD, FACC, FCCP, chairman, president and CEO of Prime Healthcare Services. "We believe Helen has the clinical and executive background to lead Saint Mary's and transform it into one of the top hospitals in the state and country, and we look forward to its success."

Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center is a 380-bed acute care hospital offering a wide array of medical and surgical services, including women's and children's services, heart surgery, and cancer treatment programs. Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center was named the first nationally accredited breast cancer center in Nevada and is also the only hospital that provides the CyberKnife program for cancer treatments in Northern Nevada.

"We are thankful for Prime Healthcare's willingness to save this vital healthcare institution, and we look forward to setting the pace as a leading hospital under Dr. Reddy's leadership," Lidholm said. "Mike Uboldi leaves behind a sterling legacy, and I am privileged to have the opportunity to serve this hospital and the community as he did."

Lidholm joined Saint Mary's in 2007 and has overseen all clinical operations at the hospital.  Previously, she served as executive vice-president and COO of California Hospital Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Prime Healthcare Services is committed to maintaining the longstanding history and culture of Saint Mary's and its religious affiliations and as part of the sale will uphold the following:

• The hospital will keep the name Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center.
• Dominican Sisters of San Rafael will continue to be part of Saint Mary's Spiritual Care Services. To this end, Dr. Reddy has paid $1 million for the convent and will lease it back to the Sisters at no cost.  
• Catholic priests will continue to be available to staff the chapel, provide support for the pastoral care programs and meet the spiritual needs of patients and families at the hospital.
• Saint Mary's will continue to hold daily mass and the chapel will maintain normal hours.
• Saint Mary's will continue to meet the community needs of the greater Reno area.

Prime Healthcare Services

Ontario, CA-based Prime Healthcare Services is one of the largest hospital companies in the U.S. Through their subsidiaries, Prime Healthcare Services and the non-profit Prime Healthcare Foundation have  more than 12,000 employees  and own and operate 17 acute care hospitals: Alvarado Hospital Medical Center, Centinela Hospital Medical Center, Chino Valley Medical Center, Desert Valley Hospital, Encino Hospital Medical Center, Garden Grove Hospital Medical Center, Huntington Beach Hospital, La Palma Intercommunity Hospital, Montclair Hospital Medical Center, Paradise Valley Hospital, San Dimas Community Hospital, Shasta Regional Medical Center, Sherman Oaks Hospital and West Anaheim Medical Center, all in California, Pampa Regional Medical Center and Harlingen Medical Center, in Texas, and Roxborough Memorial Hospital in Pennsylvania.

Prime Healthcare was recognized as the 'Top 15 Health System' in the nation in 2012 and the 'Top 10 Health System' in the nation in 2009 by Thomson Reuters. Of the twelve hospitals that are accredited by Joint Commission, the largest Medicare accreditation organization in the country, nine earned national recognition as "Top Performer," (Top 14%), on Key Quality Measures in 2011. Five of the hospitals were ranked as the 'Top 100 Hospitals' in the nation for quality patient care in 2012.

Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center

Reno, Nevada-based Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center is a 380-bed hospital offering inpatient, outpatient and wellness services. Nationally recognized and accredited by the Joint Commission, Saint Mary's offers a robust line of services including a top-rated cancer program featuring the region's only CyberKnife radiosurgery delivery system, state-of-the-art William N. Pennington Emergency Room and a Heart and Vascular Institute dedicated to long-term wellness. Saint Mary's provides healthcare to communities throughout northern Nevada. The health system also operates a fully-integrated Medical Group with six primary care offices, four urgent care facilities and two retail clinics. As a long-standing community partner, Saint Mary's is dedicated to ensuring that the health and wellness of northern Nevada remains strong. For more information, visit www.saintmarysreno.org.

SOURCE Prime Healthcare Services